


Your Eyes Look Like Galaxies In The Sky

by PitZagufull



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Awkward Sexual Situations, Boob job, Cunnilingus, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female Ejaculation, First Time, Friends to Lovers, I Don't Know What Smut Fluff & Angst Mean But Here We Are, Interspecies Romance, Nipple Licking, Possible smut, Romantic Fluff, Slow Romance, Tags That Come Next Come After Chapter 4, Teammates to Friends, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-04-08 02:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19098004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PitZagufull/pseuds/PitZagufull
Summary: Peter Quill (The Star-Lord) is a bit anxious by his newest member of his crew, Mantis; for she seems extremely intriguing. Rocket initially denies this fact and her, but things start to go downhill for the worst, as he discovers a new feeling he never felt before. Trapped, confused, and scared, Rocket attempts to overcome his feels, as Mantis is whisked into a new world of love. Romantic; sexual love.Spreading the word so the Romantis ship can set sail.





	1. Who Do You Think You Are?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DoSomethingElse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoSomethingElse/gifts), [Brightwing27](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brightwing27/gifts).



> This is my FIRST FANFICTION, ever in the history of ever. So please work with me here. I may be sloppy in a few places, but let me know if you like by leaving a comment!  
> Sometimes it'll switch between Rocket & Mantis POV (Point-Of-View), but I'll let you know when.  
> This story takes place a couple of days after GotG Vol. 2
> 
> Words in this Chapter: 2026
> 
> Date Chapter Released: June 5, 2019
> 
> Inspired by MantisandtheMoonDragon & Brightwing27's work of Mantis/Rocket Raccoon Fanfictions  
> Guardians of the Galaxy © Marvel © Disney

Rocket's POV

_Oh boy,_ Cursed Rocket subconsciously,  _Here we go again._  

Rocket took a peek out of the engine room, seeing that Peter and Gamora talking to Mantis. But not only were they talking to her, but they were also trying to get her on their good side, showing them around the ship, chatting like some Xandarian host family showing a guest around their house.

Rocket's scoff at the trio gets followed up by a snicker from the Teenage Groot, who's helping Rocket make repairs to the already damaged ship. "Wha'cha laughing at, Twig?" Rocket scowled at his surrogated son.

The teen tree only rolled his eyes and picked up a switch to carry it over to one of the fuses hanging out the ship, "I am Groot." he says before pulling out a small portion of the metal wall. Rocket's face grew hot under his fur, running over to his son. "WHAT?! You--Hey, don't--!" Rocket exclaimed, only to have Groot jam said switch into the wall, and immediately, the fuses turn off, preventing the ship from leaking out gas into the ventilation. For now. Lights flash as the whirring of the ship slowed down, got quieter. 

Rocket looking around only to turn his back towards Groot and walk towards the panel, indicating the problems around to see that all the ventilation ducts are stable and in working condition. Rocket looked back at the teen tree.

"Wh' d'ya do?"

"I am Groot.", Groot replies proudly

Rocket hummed confusingly at the teenager's response, before giving him an awkward thumbs up and a "Great". But before leaving the room, he remembers the sentence Groot said that pissed him off almost as much as Quill's Awesome Mix playing over and over. "Wha'cha said before, Groot..." he started, making Groot's head lift up to look at his father. 

"I ain't talkin' to that weird antenna bitch. Nope. She should've just burned with Ego for all I care." Rocket snarled, peering out the door to look for her, but she was gone. 

Groot was unhappy with that response, saying "I am Groot!" in a stern tone.

Rocket only scoffed at what he had to say. "And what then? I guess I should just let her get in my business, as if YOU haven't filled da role already!" He turned to leave but stopped before doing so. "I already know I'm a badass, Groot. I don't need another one pulling my tail." And stopped out of the engine room, grumpy as ever.  _Maybe I went a bit too far on the guy..._ Rocket thought to himself, slumping over. He decided to shrug it off and wonder to the common room. Apparently, Drax's dumbass was asleep, snoring like a pig there on-- WAS THAT THE VENT?!

Rocket facepalmed himself, too tired and stressed to deal with this shit.  _Wonder if that bug chick got herself lost. If that asshole Quill lost--_  

"Ey, Rocket." 

Rocket jolted and jumped at the sound of Peter Quill, their captain, their leader, walking in the common room, taking the red scarf that he wore on Ego's Planet off, and shrug off his Ravenger coat. Rocket turned to face him, clearing his throat. "Hey, Quill-Lord."

Peter rolled his eyes at the name and chuckled before changing the subject "Drax is pretty loud of a snorer, ain't he?", he said walking to the refrigerator and opening it, pulling out a zargnut bag. Rocket turned to the giant snoring man on the vent that Groot just fixed.  _Dumbass._

"Hey, uh... Quill?" Rocket said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Mmh?" Peter said, muffled because he's trying to open the bag with his teeth. Successful, the bag opened and almost spilled. Peter pulled out his teeth off the bag.

"Ugh..."  _Why ta HELL am I doing this?_  Rocket cursed to himself. "Do ya know where the bug b--lady is?"

"Mantis?" Peter asked, finally done chowing his mouth down with zargnuts. "Oh, she's with Gam-Gams. I just wanted to leave those two alone. Why? D'ya need something?"

Rocket flinched for a quick moment before calming himself, although he grew impatient on the inside. "Nah, I got it me-self." He said and trotted off to the cockpit until Quill spoke again.

"Ah, hey! We'll be landing on Xandar in a couple hours ta get a new ship. So sit tight, we'll be in comfort again soon." Peter walked up to Rocket and ruffed the top of his head; not as an act of teasing or an act of douchebag-ery. Just a friendly way of saying goodbye.

Rocket gave it all his might to hold himself from lashing out at Quill to punish him for treating him like a pet, but he held it together. Now that Quill was gone, he should try talking to the--

_Wait, what ta flarking krutack am I doin'!? I ain't concerning myself with that bug lady, am I?! I barely knew her for like, WHAT? THREE DAYS?! What the flark am I doing? This is insane, it's stupid, it's--!_

A pair of feminine chuckles came from a hallway to the common room that jolted Rocket from his thoughts. He turned his back from the corridor, not tempted to run like a coward. 

_Just hide in plain sight, Rocket. No one should care about some freak like me._

"Yeah, Peter can be a handful sometimes," Gamora said as she and Mantis walked into the common room, talking to each other. "but he can be a good guy. Not because he's a dork or anything, it's just..." A small pretty blush grows on her face. "...Well. Would it be wrong if I were to fall in love with the guy back?" Gamora asked shyly.

Mantis, who had no idea how relationships worked, cocked her head in confusion. "I see no problem with sharing your feelings with Star-Lord," Mantis said with a very wide and mildly creepy smile. "He seems like a great friend to you." 

Rocket's ears perked up at the sound of Mantis and Gamora talking.  _What? Well, yeah, Quill has a boner for Gams, but Gamora too? Does ANYONE know how to contain their hormones 'round here?! Horny bastards..._

Gamora smiled at Mantis, a smile that a mother would give her child to after posing for a photo in a play their child is in. "Thank you, Mantis" Mantis grins at her back before nodding slightly. "I'll be leaving you here. Make yourself at home here. I'll be in the cockpit if you need me." Gamora walks on the side of the rectangular common room table Rocket is on and gives her a glare. Gamora snarled back at him, before walking off to the cockpit's direction. 

Rocket, praying to whatever flarking god is paying attention to him, started to make his retreat. Slowly tip-toeing back towards what he called his "dorm" even though it was just a pile of scraps in the back of the ship. 

"Hello, Rocket," Mantis said somberly.

Rocket stopped in his tracks with his last one creaking in the metal as he gave a soft growl before turning his head slightly to the bug lady talking to him.

_Fuck._

"Yes...?" He said slightly annoying.

Rocket turned just in time to see how unbelievably sad Mantis was. Her antennas were drooped and her face was a clear and bitter frown. Rocket felt a hitch in his chest.  _What the flark was that?_

"I wanted to say," Mantis started, but paused for an uncomfortably long time. "I wanted to say I am sorry."

Rocket felt another hitch in his chest, guilt rising too. "What?" He hears himself say before he even thinks it.

Mantis snapped her head at the floor, "I am sorry for calling you a puppy!" she says. "I... I did not know you..." Mantis began to break, she sniffled lightly and her eyes grew watery. "I did not know how unique and interesting you were then." She manages before sniffling again.

Rocket then felt a third and major pain in his chest. And he knew it wasn't his implants. His legs felt weak. He had to get away. He had to hide. He shouldn't speak to her ever again.

_Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck What do I do Where do I go Where should I go Do I stay or do I go Do I talk back What's happening_

Gulping enough air to regain his pride and fool-hearty righteousness; he gained the courage to talk to sensitive bug. 

"I'm sorry too."

_WHAT?!?!_

"Ahn?" Mantis looked up from the ground and blinked the tears away.

Rocket clamped a hand over his muzzle and nose, hoping he can stop saying random stuff.  _Crap, I uh._

He cleared his throat, "What I meant ta say, 'm sorry, too, for ye being sorry. Ya know." he said. 

Mantis' face cringed in distorted confusion, oblivious to the internal breakdown Rocket was having. "You are sorry for me being sorry?"

Rocket's ears perked up at her words.  _Just be cool about it Rocket. You got this. You escaped prisons, collected bounties, and killed two all-powerful beings. You got this._

Rocket puffed his chest up, regaining his pride. Again. "Yeah. But hey, if ya need to talk ta me, just come meet me again some time. My door's always open." He finishes with a toothy grin.

_Nailed it Rocket, you nailed it!_

_._

_._

_._

_WAIT._

But it was too late. Mantis was already persuaded. "Oh!" she exclaims. "Really?"

Rocket fucked up. He fucked up hard. What should he do? Take it back and upset her even more?  _No! Wait. No. What am I thinking? I want her out of my life! Why am I feeling like this?!_ He clutched his chest, feeling his heartbeat at an irregular pace. For some reason. He felt more excited than blowing up a bunch of idiots with his newest weapons. Or more relaxed after collecting the biggest bounty he got. No. He feels--

"Rocket," The Bug Lady started, "are you...lying to me?" she asked thickly.

Rocket's eyes grew circular and wide after hearing her. Did he hear her correctly though?  _Oh, welp. Shit._

"No No! No!" he blurted. Rocket's breath hitched as he looked up Mantis' perplexed face. 

"Well, I ain't--It's not that--Well I might've--See the thin--" Rocket gulped, taking three seconds to clear his thoughts and breath steadily. "No. I didn't lie to ya," he said bluntly.

"So..." Mantis starts to get excited. Happy. "Then can I really?" she says, obviously failing to contain her overjoyed squeal. 

Rocket looks up at her, for the first time and held her gaze, before pulling his lips into a soft, and gentle smile. "Y-Yeah. If you want." He exhaled sharply, finally, he got it out.

Mantis' face rose from excitement to pure joy, as she failed to contain the open-mouthed smile she had. 

Rocket's heart skipped a beat. 

_Whoa. What the--Wh-What was that?_

Rocket shook it off temporarily before turning his head down from Mantis, raising his left palm to her. "Look, I need to go, right now. And don't follow me, ya hear!?"

Mantis, still overjoyed that Rocket wasn't mad at him, nodded vigorously. "Yes! I will not follow you!"

Rocket nodded, "Good! Uh. Catch ya' later, lady!" he said before running off to his quarters down the hall and making a sharp left with his foot.

* * *

Rocket ran into his "room" and slammed his left paw on the panel to close and lock the door. He slides his back on the door, hugged his legs loosely to his chest and hung his head back against the cold metal door. Rocket denies it. He ridicules it. He absolutely  **despises**  it. But the damage was already done to his psyche. Everything he knew was a lie. What does he do? In order to make the correct choice, how is he to approach Mantis, letting her know it was all a misunderstanding. Or was it? Rocket doesn't know. He doesn't know how to react to this, because he never experienced it until now. But one thing was certain. And Rocket knew what it was.

 

He was in love.

 

With Mantis.

 

"Fuck me." 


	2. How Can I Get You To Like Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mantis joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and everybody on the ship loves her! Well, almost everybody. Rocket seems to absolutely despise her. And Mantis couldn't blame him. He had every right to. He had ALL the rights to! Mantis called Rocket a "puppy" and tried to pet him! She starts to feel bad about it, so she knew what she had to do to make it right. But then something happens to her that she does not expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in this Chapter: 4011
> 
> Date Chapter Released: June 6, 2019

 

Mantis' POV

 _I have never felt such misery._ Whined Mantis subconsciously, _And such hatred._

Mantis was standing on the cold, metal, grating floor of the Quadrant, silently staring at the Star-Lord sitting on a rectangular block called a "bench" and covering his face with his right hand, somberly moaning and quietly weeping, presumably for his adopted father, and not his real one. Peter had his Zune that Kraglin had given to him. He had the earbuds in his ears and she can faintly hear the soft melody of the Terran music band called _Pink Floyd_.

Before Mantis could step in and help Peter calm down with her empathic abilities on him, soft heel clicks came from behind her, causing her to turn her back to Peter to face.

Gamora, walking up to him, giving a blank glaze to Mantis as she shrunk back from her and Peter.

"Peter," Gamora says softly as she sits next to Peter Quill and puts her left hand on his right thigh. "It's okay. I'm here for you."

Peter only sniffles in respond before shaking his head, refusing to bring his hand down from his face. Gamora only rubbed his thigh, shushed him silently, saying "I know" over and over again to soothe his mind. Mantis carefully observed every movement they made, bewildered by Gamora's actions and way of calming Peter down.

 _She is not an empath,_ Mantis thought to herself. _but she is doing her best effort to calm Star-Lord down_.

Gamora, after winding Peter down for three minutes straight, finally took her hand over the one Peter had over his face and pulled it down as softly as she could. Peter looked at her, then Mantis very briefly, before turning his gaze back to Gamora. The reds in and around his eyes didn't need words to express how sad he was. He pursed his lip at Gamora's relaxed and soften face.

"Peter," Gamora starts, "Yondu is gone. But we are here for you. Rocket, Groot, Drax, Mantis and I are all here for you." she raises her hand to Peter's cheek briefly before his head fell on her shoulder and gripped her back tightly, holding her in a thankful and heartwarming embracing. "It's okay," Gamora says one final time before wrapping her green arms around Peter and cradling his back. Tears pull in the corner of her eyes, but she blinks them away as Peter lifted himself up from her shoulders. Peter's face was no longer crying and wet with tears.

"Thanks," Star-Lord says before sniffling, "I-I don't... I don't know what made you really soft for me." He said, chuckling at the same time Gamora let out a happy and short sigh.

Gamora pursed her lips before smiling at Peter, "You are our captain, after all, Star-Lord," she said softly. Her hand left Peter's shoulder and slide down to his hand and held it tightly. "We need you to stand proud and be the confident, dorky, Terran idiot you are." she chuckled at the same time as Peter, who ruffled his hair, softly staring into her eyes for what felt like a second to them, but was actually 40 seconds.

Mantis, who watched that who thing happened, inched forward, her heels softly creaking on the metal, grated floor. Peter and Gamora's gaze snapped back at Mantis, with an awkward blush on their faces. Which Mantis points out.

"Your cheeks are glowing!" she exclaims.

While Gamora is a bit flustered to know that she did all that in front of someone, Peter was actually happy to know Mantis saw it.

"Mantis!" Peter exclaims, sounding genuinely happy to see her. "Are you, uh... you having a good time?" Peter says before being hit lightly in the back of the head by Gamora. "Ouch!"

Mantis decides to ignore it, probably not something she should ask. "Y-Yes!" she replies, twiddling her fingers. "Well, I don't really know most of you but, I can see you very good friends!"

"I am Groot"

Mantis, Peter, and Gamora jolted hearing Groot's mildly loud voice echo in through the Quadrant's common room. They turned their heads to look at Rocket and Groot attempting to sneak out of the conversation.

"Augh, d'ast." Rocket groaned, "Stupid 'diot. I TOLD ya not ta--" Rocket turned his gaze from his son to face the other Guardians in the common room with him. He leaned against a steel beam vertically and crossed his arms, posing coolly. "Hey."

Peter and Gamora rolled their eyes at this idiot's gesture, but Mantis...

_Oh? What...?_

Mantis put her left hand over her chest and let it hover there as a soft glow from the tip of her antennas appeared. She stared at Rocket with her beady eyes, blinking rapidly before collecting herself and putting her and down and dimming the lights from her antennas.

 _He is... more than a puppy. No, he is_ **_definitely_ ** _not a puppy. No. Surely, he could not be_.

"He-Hello," Mantis started, shrinking back again after Rocket glared at her, "R-Rocket," she says with a squeak.

Rocket only scoffed and turned his tail at her. Mantis can barely contain herself.

 _So cute._  But she shakes her head physically, getting that thought out of her mind.

"Look, Quill," Rocket says, turning his gaze back at the half-Terran captain. "I'mma gonna start fixin' on ta vents, smells like yer farts coming in my room.

Peter groaned and rolled his eyes at the ridiculous comment about his farts, but he knows the problem is serious. "Well, get on it then. Leave me be and be useful for once." Rocket only arched his back, sticking his butt out to the metal wall, striking a sassy tone and scoffed in disbelief.

"Why you rushing me, Quill-Lord? Oh, I get it. So you can go back to your make-out session with that green snob?"

Mantis head snapped back just in time to Gamora and Quill, who were starting to lose their patience, Mantis stepped in.

"No!" she exclaims boldly, shocking the four occupants in the room. "Gamora was comforting Star-Lord about the death of..." She turned to Peter's face to see his still, perplexed expression. She looked back down at her fingers and twiddled them once more. "...his father, Yondu."

The room went silent. Everybody was shocked, even Rocket. His face says it all. His wide, beautifully copper eyes. The way the shined off the lights in the room, similar to the way Mantis' eyes did too when she saw all those fireworks bursting at the funeral of Peter's adopted father. He looked so cute the way he stilled and his feet padded constantly, even when he stood still. The room became tenser and tenser as if there was no one anyone can respond to what the coy, shy bug lady just said.

Until Rocket snorted.

"Whateva. I'll be USEFUL in the engine room, you guys just... don't disturb me for a while. It'll be fixed in a few days." Rocket then trotted off. "Groot, let's go," he called to his young tree friend.

Groot followed in his father's footsteps and the pair turned to the corridor.

But Rocket stopped for a minute, causing the teenage Groot to go ahead. Rocket locked back at the bug-eyed lady and Mantis began to felt her heart accelerate. She stood up straight, clutching her hands together below her waist, much to Rocket's amusement. He chuckled and continued walking.

Mantis stood completely still. _I do not understand. Why am I feeling like this? What is happening to me? And why did Rocket look at me like that? He was smiling?_

Peter took out the earbuds to his Zune and hooked it up to a Stereo-machine that Kraglin also picked up, and _Killer Queen_ played over the speakers. He adjusted the volume of the Zune so that it was at the right volume. He later then turned to Mantis, who was still clutching her hands tightly.

_Does he like me? Does he know what I did? Do I--?_

"So," Peter began, jolting Mantis from her thoughts. "How about Gamora and I give you a tour of the place sometime later, I need a break from all this crying." He half-heartedly chuckled.

Mantis turned her head to face Peter and Gamora, who had already walked up to her. "Oh, yes! I would love to learn more about this smelly, disgusting ship!" she exclaims happily.

Peter turned her head to face Gamora and pointed a finger at her. "I like her," he says with a smile on her face.

* * *

That tour around the Quadrant didn't come until two days later when Gamora, Peter, and Mantis were walking down a hallway towards the common room. Peter was telling Mantis how the Guardians met, got together and saved Xandar from Ronan's attempted genocide. The bug lady was paying attention until they walked past the room Rocket and Groot were working in, as she caught a glimpse of the raccoon's tail swish in a vent shaft. 

Mantis couldn't help but feel a weird feeling in her heart, something jumped. But she didn't know what. 

"Hey, Mantis!" Peter said as she put her hand on her shoulder gently. Not so gentle to Mantis apparently, because she turned her head to Peter so hard and fast that her hair whipped his eyes, causing him to cover his eyes with both hands. "Augh!!" he yelled as he stumbled back.

Mantis and Gamora were both startled by the yelp Peter gave them and quickly came to his aid. "Peter, I am so sorry!" she says as she put a hand on her bicep. "I did not mean to hit you! Are you--"

"I'm fine!" Peter exclaims as she blinks eyes rapidly, rubbing them before staring at Mantis again with a soft smile. "It's okay. I didn't hurt that bad. I just wanted to know what you were looking off to that got you so distracted."

Mantis stared at the Star-Lord and tilted her head in confusion. 

Peter shook it off, "I mean, I know you were looking at Rocket and Groot working, but I mean I was getting to the best part of the story. If you don't want to listen to it, you could just tell me."

Mantis then jumped and gasped at the same time, "I am sorry, Star-Lord! Please don't stop telling your story!" she whines, "I will listen to the story again, I promise!" She said, practically begging.

Gamora huffed at Peter, "Peter..."

Star-Lord then continued to tell his stories with over exaggerated hand waves and shakes to amplify the story's feel. Unbeknownst to the trio, Rocket was watching them, peaking out of the engine room door and watch them walk further away from him.

* * *

Mantis and Gamora were by themselves now, ever since Peter left them on own their own. They continued to walk through the cold, metal hallway of the Quadrant from Peter and Gamora's room to the common room. Neither of them knew what to say, however. How should Mantis engage in their conversation? Mantis was about to say something mutual, but then Gamora spoke up.

"Mantis..." Gamora started.

Mantis snapped her head to face Gamora's and forced a grin on her face. "Yes?"

Gamora looked down. As if she were being, shy. "I was wondering... if it's possible for you to maybe you could use your empathic abilities for Peter so I can tell him how I feel?" She askes quietly.

Mantis was bewildered by her questioned. "You want me to use my empathy on Peter so he can know how you feel for him?" she asked, almost feeling dumb for even asking this.

Gamora gave her a soft, honest smile before chuckling softly, quietly. "No, of course not. And Besides, Peter is already an idiot as he is," she said with a snicker.

Mantis snorted as she covered her smile with her left hand. "He is an idiot?" Mantis asked thickly, "I am surprised that Terrans were not so unique to Peter, considering his influence."

The two young ladies laughed softly as they entered the common room area of the Quadrant. There was Drax on the other side of the common room table, sleeping on the vent on the floor, snoring like fuse ready to blow up. Gamora looked back at Mantis, not trying to pull her into a sense of insecurity.

"Yeah, Peter can be a handful sometimes," she says softly, "but he can be a good guy. Not because he's a dork or anything, it's just..." A small pretty blush grows on her face. "...Well. Would it be wrong if I were to fall in love with the guy back?" Gamora asked shyly as if she had something to hide.

Mantis, still not good with relationships, doesn't know how to respond. She cocked her head in confusion, probably signaling to Gamora that she would be no help. All she knew about Peter and Gamora are that they are very close friends. She doesn't yet know they were lovers. Mantis pondered before replying.

_Reply honestly. Think before you talk._

"I see no problem with sharing your feelings with Star-Lord," she responds with a very wide and mildly creepy smile. "He seems like a great friend to you." 

_I think I did okay!_

Gamora smiled at Mantis, a motherly, wholesome smile. "Thank you, Mantis," she says.

Mantis grins at her back before nodding slightly.

 _I did okay!_   _Yes!_

"I'll be leaving you here. Make yourself at home here. I'll be in the cockpit if you need me." Gamora tells her sweetly before walking in the direction of the rectangular common room table Rocket is on and--

_Rocket?_

Mantis notices just in time to see Rocket give Gamora glare before peering back in the direction he's facing. Away from Mantis. Mantis' mind couldn't comprehend Rocket's reason to be out here.

_Why is Rocket here? I thought he was working on preventing that ventilation from spewing acid and killing us in a slow, lonely, and painful death._

Mantis was about to say something to Rocket before he started to tip-toe away from her. Now Mantis knew what he was thinking.

_But I can not just let him leave. Not now. Not when I am so close to him. I have to tell him before he flees. But I have to approach calmly. Think before you say something._

"Hello, Rocket," she says somberly.  

Rocket stopped dead in his tracks, growling softly at her voice. Mantis realized it was a mistake, she can't do this! How would Rocket react to what she has to say?! What if he claws her face in half?! What if he--

"Yes...?" Rocket snarled, piercing her eyes with his firey, copper gaze, before softening up.

Mantis looked into his eyes and saw the beauty, yet the pain in them. She feels a sort of trance being locked in gazes with the raccoon. She's not sure why. But the one thing she knew about Rocket is that if she ever told him about how fluffy his tail is or how beautiful his eyes are, he would definitely feel worse than guilt. More like scratch marks all over.

"I wanted to say," Mantis started, stopping to ponder her words and sentences. _It will be okay. Rocket is your teammate. He would not hurt you, even if you frighten him. You are brave, Mantis. It is not a big problem._

"I wanted to say I am sorry."

"What?" Rocket asked as if he had something else on his mind. As if they were talking very distantly.

Mantis started to get even more upset. She tried her best not to cry, but she can already feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She ducked her head down to prevent Rocket from gazing at her sour expression, but she knew there was no point. "I am sorry for calling you a puppy!" she says. "I... I did not know you..." she sniffled lightly "I did not know how unique and interesting you were then." She manages before sniffling again.

She's trying her hardest to get on Rocket's good side, but it's no use. It was pointless. How naive could she have been? To have thought there was any hope of getting anywhere with Rocket. She might as well roll up on the floor and cry, for she can't handle this emotion weight on her chest. The burden was unbearable. She felt so lost and confused about how she felt for Rocket. She just wished she could use her empathic abilities on herself to make her stop feeling this way. Rocket was probably just going to claw her to death anyway. Much her into tine pieces before throwing her leftover corpse into space, never to be--

"I'm sorry too."

_What?_

"Ahn?" Mantis looked up from the ground and turned her gaze at Rocket in a perplexed expression. Her black, beady bug-eyes shined against the light in the room, shimmering as her lashes batted her tears away. Her heartbeat stopped for a minute. But Mantis now knew what it meant. And she was terrified.

_I... did I do it? Did I... my heart..._

Mantis puts a hand over her chest and lets it hover there for a while. She exhaled a shallow breath and she was on the verge of smiling until Rocket cleared his throat and continued.

"What I meant ta say, 'm sorry, too, for ye being sorry. Ya know," he said, wit ha spine-chilling calmness from his breath.

Mantis' thoughts were not determined, but her expression dropped entirely. Cringing in a slight mix of confusion and discomfort. What was going on in his head?

"You are sorry for me being sorry?"

Mantis then noticed how Rocket's ears perking upwards at her response. What did that mean? Was he angry? Contemplating? But then Rocket pulled his chest up and took a deep breath. "Yeah. But hey, if ya need to talk ta me, just come meet me again some time. My door's always open." He says and gives her a wide, toothy grin.

Mantis can't believe what she was hearing.

 _Is Rocket. Telling me. He wants to be friends. With_ **_me_ ** _?_

Mantis' heart leaps and she felt that genuine, loving smile come back to her lips. This was a triumph to Mantis and all of her doubts.

"Oh!" she exclaims and bounces slightly, "Really?" Nothing could break her mood.

_Unless..._

Her mind started to make up a new possibility.

_There was a possibility, but ONLY a possibility, but STILL a possibility that..._

“Rocket," The Bug Lady started, "are you...lying to me?" she asked thickly.

It didn't seem like it, because Rocket looked rather shocked by her question.

"No No! No!" he yelled.

Mantis jumped a bit, due to his loud voice startling her. Her eyes were wide with a somewhat a mix of confusion and fear. Not fear of him walking away or clawing her eyes out. But fear of him not wanting her. Rocket backed up a bit.

"Well, I ain't--It's not that--Well I might've--See the thin--" Rocket kept stammering over and over. Before he stopped. Mantis was confused, what was he getting at?

Rocket sighs deeply."No. I didn't lie to ya," he said bluntly.

Mantis' hopes for friendship multiple by 10. Is this really happening? "So..." she starts, her voice high. "Then can I really?" she mused, obviously failing to contain her overjoyed squeal. Her eyes were locked on Rocket. He was smiling. He was smiling **at her**. "Y-Yeah. If you want." He said, and his shoulders relaxed. Mantis' heart skipped for the third time. Now she knew what she was feeling for him. She left...

_Love._

_Romantic, sexual love._

Mantis was about squeal out of joy for what this means, but Rocket spoke first.

"Look, I need to go, right now. And don't follow me, ya hear!?" he said strictly but in a concealed way, as if he had something to hide from her. 

But Mantis paid no attention to it. "Yes! I will not follow you!" she exclaims, sounding like a child would get the present they wanted for Christmas. Rocket nodded, "Good! Uh. Catch ya' later, lady!" he said before running down the hall was she thought was the engine room on the right, but was actually just the scrap room on his left.

Mantis waved to Rocket, however, he did not see her. Mantis was now at a loss for words. But then she realizes what she just did and said. _Where do I go from here? Do I tell somebody about this? If I tell someone, then Rocket and I will be put in great danger. We might be thrown off the ship before we even arrive at this Xandar planet. I should go to him now!_

Mantis tried to follow him to where he ran off too,  but once he saw the door was shut and locked, she then had a new thought appear. 

_Did he not mean to say that? Did he mean to talk to me in a different manner? What was he trying to say then? Even with this metal door shut on me, I know he is lost._

Mantis put her hand on the door and moved her head closer to it, her nose a hair away from touching it. 

_Me too, Rocket. I am lost. But also happy. I really want to make this feel good for both of us. I do not want to cause you pain. I just want to be your friend. Maybe something more, sometime. But not now. I do not feel like I can... and I do not think you can either._

Mantis pushed herself away from the door. The new bond Rocket and Mantis had. She accepts it. She loves it. She absolutely **adores** it. The feeling has already taken control over Mantis' body around Rocket, and it will stay like that forever, she knows it. She's learning so much more. She has so many questions but so many answers she has now, she doesn't even need those questions answered. But there was that thought in the back of her head that made her worry. How does she make this work for her and Rocket? Will Rocket be okay with it? Their relationship is absolutely nothing but words, but she knows that they do not need words to communicate. Mantis doesn't know how to feel about this. Any of this. She knows absolutely NOTHING about how these relationships work. But one thing was certain.

"Mantis," a voice said.

Mantis, who completely spaced out in front of Rocket's door, was jolted from her thoughts hearing Gamora's voice. Mantis squeaked and turned her head towards Gamora's figure standing a meter from her. Mantis tries to compose her self by standing straight up and whispering to her.

"Shh." She hushed Gamora, pointing to Rocket's room, signaling to her not to disturb him. Gamora sighed and nodded. 

"Come here," she said, her voice soft and somewhat soothing, "I only wanted to check on you." 

Mantis walked towards her, heels softly clicking against the floor and nodded, understanding why. Gamora knew nothing about her apology to Rocket and his confession to Mantis. "Yes. I am okay. But I feel great!" she yelled-whispered. 

Gamora lifted an eyebrow. "Yes? And why is that?" 

Mantis then felt her cheeks grow hot and her antennas stalked high, glowing brightly in the dim corridor. "W-Well... it--It is not something that I think you would understand if I told you." she managed to say in one sentence, exhaling as she got it off her chest.

"I'm sorry, Mantis," Gamora starts, causing Mantis to look up at her, catching gazes at her soft cheeks glow lime green. Gamora smiles softly at that image. "I don't mean to invade your privacy. I was only curious about what that would be that made you so happy."

Mantis, who's face was glowing a bright neon green, dropped her head again, curling her hair in her fingers before saying, "I... Gamora?"

"Yes?"

"I... think I feel romantic and sexual love for Rocket."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this poured the absolute SOUL out of me. Please leave kudos and a comment, I'd really appreciate it.


	3. What Do You Need Me To Do For You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Rocket and Mantis, who both confirm they have feelings for each other to themselves, they feel the need to tell each other the truth, but it comes out more wrong than expected. But maybe it could be undone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Physical Violence Ahead
> 
> Sorry if I'm not that focused (?) on this chapter; I'm trying to get them all out before I lose interest in this fanfiction business. Thank you all for this support though! Keep it up and I'll produce more and more as I go! I greatly appreciate the feedback! 👌😌👍
> 
> Words in this Chapter: 3696
> 
> Date Chapter Released: June 8, 2019

Rocket's POV

 _It ain't good for me to see Mantis anymore,_ Rocket told to himself. _If I see that bug girl again, I'm gonna lose it!_

It was a new day. Rocket slept in his scrap pile in the space-trash disposal room and the Quadrant has already arrived on the planet, Xandar, to retrieve a new ship Quill mentioned winning a bidding auction from Dey. Hopefully, it has a better interior and bed than this piece of shit. Rocket decided that now was the time to get out of his "bed", which, again was just a pile of broken and melted down trash for disposin' in the vacuum of space. But then again, he never really did live a comforting life, mainly because of the implants and how terrible his lifestyle choices are. But Rocket pushed passed them and left the past behind to die. But it never did. And it never will.

Rocket pushed his back upwards as he groaned in pure agony for sleeping on the pile. He cracks his neck, lifting it up and down, left-to-right, before stretching his muscles. While he was stretchings his arms out to reach his jumpsuit, he felt one of his implants rigged in his chest. He yells aloud for a second before pushing it back in place forcefully, cringing at the feel of the metal moving his organs inside him. It wasn't an easy life.

A knock on the door made Rocket yelp at the sound and almost made him fuck up adjusting his implants. Flarking hell, as if it wasn't annoying enough to have crappy anti-social teammates, let alone teammates who don't understand the meaning of the words "privacy" or "personal space".

"WHAT?!" he shouted in pure rage as he struggled to correctly adjust his implant with his left hand while grabbing his jumpsuit with his right. "Groot, I swear to Bejeebus, if that's you, KNOCK MORE SUBTLY NEXT TIME."

"I am not Groot," The voice of Mantis was soft, but muffled due to the metal door in front of her. Rocket's ears drooped and his eyed widen in shock. He knows everybody is supposed to be up to meet Dey at the Xandar Port to get the new ship, but why was MANTIS the one who wanted to wake him up. If it were Groot he wouldn't have minded that much, but seeing as how Mantis was at his door was sending all sorts of alarms in his head and bad feelings in his gut.

"Wha'di'ya want, Bug-Lady?! I'm gettin' dressed 'ere!" he said angrily, hoping it would scare her off.

And it seemed to have worked. "I-I am so sorry!!" she exclaimed, almost sounding embarrassed. "Th-There--Uh--I did, uh--w-we--PETER AND THE OTHERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU! PLEASE COME SOON!" she yelled at the door and ran off.

Rocket held his gaze at the door, blinking slowly for a moment with his copper eyes, wide and shaken.

_Did I go too hard on her? Oh, shit. Ah, fuck me._

He pulled his leggings from his jumpsuit and started down, pushing his legs in the leggings before pulling them and zipping his jumpsuit up, closing up his implants and his fluffy, messy chest from the outside world. He grabbed his gauntlets and goggles, holding each in them in his left paw.

"I didn't mean ta..." Rocket sighed, voice poisoned, filled with sour and bitterness.

Rocket truly didn't mean anything by it. He just spouts out random shit because things make him so riled up, it's physically impossible to be quiet, or sane, or hell, even responsible. Sometimes he knows it and stays awake because of it. Knowing he isn't normal. He's just a freak.

_Who am I kiddin'? I don't deserve her._

Rocket exhaled sharply, wanting to burden himself with guilt wasn't the first thing he wanted to do after waking up. After putting on his gloves and glasses on top of his head, he walked up to the door and pressed his paw on the panel as the door slid open.

_Just another day._

* * *

 

Mantis' POV

 _I support you and Rocket's romantic trust to each other._ Mantis replays Gamora's words in her head. _But, don't underestimate Rocket. He is as bad at feelings as I am. Just take it slow. Don't tell him something he wouldn't like. Try talk about something he likes or peak his interest in something you do._

Mantis finished zipping up her tunic, tightening and closing her chest area as her breasts stop moving as they're shut tight up in her suit.

_How am I suppose to "take it slow" with Rocket? What does Gamora mean by that? Should I tell him my lifestyle with Ego?_

Mantis shakes her head, cringing at the stupid idea.

_I-I do not think I am ready to reveal that with him just yet! This is exactly what Gamora was talking about. Just because she and Rocket are awful at explaining their true feelings, does not mean that I am any good either! I am just feeling so... so lost!_

Mantis, who still conflicted with her thoughts, got up from the bench and walked out of her and Drax' temporarily shared room and wonder to the common room, hoping to find the rest of team there. Once she arrived, and to her surprise, all of them were up and about. All except Rocket. Who is still in his room from yesterday.

"That d'ast raccoon still isn't u~~~~p?" Peter complained, still feeling a bit tired to put up with whatever nonsense happened to their trigger-happy raccoon companion.

Mantis stared at Peter, before she turned away, still unsettled about last night while they were still drifting in space.

"Our raccoon companion always oversleeps, Star-Lord." Drax' booming voice echoed in the room, even though he was talking in his regular tone. The giant grey man was sitting on the common room table eating zargnuts. What makes Drax unique to Mantis was how he was honest to her, and how much they care for one another. But when it came to a romantic, sexual relationship, it was a "no" for both of them. For starters, Drax always declined the idea; constantly calling her ugly, but remarks about how warm and kind she is on the inside. Like his daughter when she was alive. Secondly, Mantis doesn't believe she likes the type of person Drax is. Loud, and what Peter called, "A meathead". Mantis just doesn't see them together, and neither does Drax.

Peter lets out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine," he says. "I'll go--"

Mantis interrupts their captain, "I will wake up Rocket!" she exclaims, wide-eyed and wearing a fake, creepy smile.

The others looked at Mantis, befuddled before she nodded at them vigorously before walking down the hall Rocket's room was in. Gamora gave her a quick gaze before dropping her eyes instantly.

Mantis wanders down the hall of the Quadrant that Rocket's room is in and starts to feel a bit claustrophobic. Being alone in a tight corridor, not hearing anything except the creaking of metal and the hissing of steam. It's unsettling. Once she arrived at Rocket's door, she raises her left hand over the door, about to knock, but stops, leaving her hand in mid-air.

Mantis' heart began to accelerate at an improper pace, as the beating grows louder, her chest suddenly feels tighter. She raises her right hand to cup her left breast to feel the beating of the heart better, and the news shocks her. Being controlled by an uncontrollable fear, she steps back. That uncontrollable fear not being afraid of seeing Rocket open the door and lung at her with razor sharp claws immediate after she knocks on the door. But the fear of coming face to face with him, actually TALKING to him. Why was she feeling like this?

She exhaled sharply and lowered her right hand, dropping her breast and knocked on the door lightly. Rocket's reaction caught Mantis off guard.

"WHAT?!" Rocket shouted at the door, as if he were actually screaming in fear. "Groot, I swear to Bejeebus, if that's you, KNOCK MORE SUBTLY NEXT TIME." Rocket's voice was stern, powerful. It made Mantis coward in her heeled boots.

_Breathe. Take it slow._

"I am not Groot" Mantis spoke softly at the door. Afraid Rocket didn't hear her the first time loud enough, she was about to speak up and talk aloud, but Rocket proved her wrong.

"Wha'di'ya want, Bug-Lady?!" He snarled. "I'm gettin' dressed 'ere!"

Then, a sudden and very dirty image came into her mind.

There was Rocket, wearing absolutely nothing but a pair of boxers his size and clawing the floor with his sharp claws. He was snarling huskily at Mantis, winking while licking his snout and nose, panting heavily.

Mantis' face blushed furiously, turning lime neon green as she puts her hands over her face. The antennas atop her head were stalking high and straight, like sticks. Mantis shook her head and ducked down. "I-I am so sorry!!" she exclaimed, still haunted by the image in her brain, "Th-There--Uh--I did, uh--w-we--"

_Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my god!_

"PETER AND THE OTHERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU! PLEASE COME SOON!" After Mantis was done talking, she ran away, unable to bear the heat on her face. When exited the hall, she waved her right hand in front of her face to cool herself down, while her left hand was laying atop her stomach, trying to hold herself together.

"What is wrong, Mantis?" Drax said as he approached her. "Did the vermin try to attack you?!" His voice rose as he clenched his fist. Mantis gave him a half-hearted stare after she manages to calm herself down, but she was still blushing a light neon green. If Drax finds out...

"N-No!" Mantis said with a small squeak in her voice, covering her mouth in an instant. After a moment of awkward silence, she dropped her hand and put a smile on her face; at least she was calming down. "I am fine, Drax. Thank you for looking out for me," she told him in a small voice.

Drax unclenched his fist and stopped his dramatic posing. "I understand. But why was your face looking as if you were going to vomit?" he questioned.

"Hm?" Mantis' smile drops and she looked up at him with her bug eyes.

"Well, your face was very green. You looked as if you were going to bile. And your antennas are stalking." he says, pointing gesturingly.

Mantis lifted her right hand to her antennae and still felt a hot sting there. She drops her hand and wraps it in front of her torso and gripping her left arm tightly. Mantis felt scared. Scared that Drax wouldn't understand what's she's going through. Scared that he wouldn't' understand.

 _But Drax is my friend,_ Mantis conflicts with herself,  _I am certain he must know something he can do to help me._

Mantis opens her mouth to speak, but Rocket comes out from the shadows of the hallway and muses, "Alright, I'm 'ere. Can one of you tell me where Quill's dumbass is?" said Rocket, feeling a bit calmer now, but his raspy voice was still there. "I didn't take that long.

Drax stood staring at the humanoid raccoon, but Mantis faced against the wall, shaking in her boots as she tries to walk closer to Drax. Which only seemed to piss Rocket off. 

But before Rocket could spew more profanity from his mouth, the remaining Guardians came into the room. "Finally, you came out. I had ta--" Peter was interrupted by Rocket. Yet again.

"Had ta what? Kiss and get smoochy with your girlfriend?!" Rocket interrupted him, his voice absolutely furious.

"Jealous, raccoon?"

"That's enough!!! The both of you!!!" Gamora shouts at the two of them, getting nervous glances from Peter and Rocket, whose gaze then turned to Mantis, who was cowardly with her hands covering her face.

She couldn't take it anymore, she needed to tell Rocket! She can't contain herself.

"Okay," Peter sighed, turning back in front of the cock pit's sliding main door entry. "We ready to go then, right?"

All of them except Mantis nodded, who's gazed was now locked on Rocket. As the hatched opened and most of the Guardians, as Rocket and Mantis were the last to leave, Mantis gently, as lightly as she could, touched and grabbed his left paw with her right hand. Rocket jolted and turned around to see Mantis' beady eyes and her antennas glowing and stalking. Without a second thought, Rocket bats away her hand before she could use her empathy on him. He backs away, eyeing her warningly, trying to give her a heads-up if he goes psycho.

"W-What... D-Da-" Rocket begins but Mantis interrupts him.

"Rocket, I... I have been meaning to tell you something."

* * *

General POV

Rocket was at a complete loss. Tell him what? What could she possibly be telling him? Right now? At a time like this?

"I am Groot?" Groot peeks towards the two of them from the door entry to the ship. Rocket's brow furrowed at Mantis before looking at Groot. 

"Yeah. Let's go," he said and started stomping out the ship down its stairs on the concrete Xandarian port. He doesn't know why Mantis is so concerned with him. It's not like she knows about his feelings for her. It's not like she would accept them regardless. Even if they did fall in love with each other, even if they did become a thing, even if they DID start dating, they weren't even the same species. It would be a mess. Mantis should know this. Then why....?

Mantis wasn't going to let her opportunity to tell Rocket how she feels for him slip through her fingers. "Rocket! No, please! Listen to what I have to say to you!" she gasped, her breath wavering. 

Rocket stopped, not knowing what scared him more. The fact that Mantis called to him like that, like she was about to cry because he was going to walk away from her, even though he told them they could hang out together; or the fact that his own douchebag-ery was going to get him fucked over yet again. He can't help it, but he can't help his love for Mantis either. The cute bug girl deserved better than him, damnit! But he can't leave her alone!

Rocket hiccuped, his attempt at trying to contain a whimper, "What is it, bug?" he asked softly, but still facing the opposite direction of said bug.

Mantis bit her lip so hard, she was surprised it wasn't bleeding. "Please turn towards me... I... I can not tell you if you are not facing me." she demanded of him, her voice thick with emotion.  _I can not handle this pressure... my heart feels heavy. But I must! It is the only way I know how! And it is the only way I can do so!_

Initially, Rocket was offended by the demand. However, he didn't want to disappoint the bug girl, so he told Groot he would catch up with the others and told him to leave him until he comes. Once Groot left and was out of sight, Rocket did as he was told by Mantis; turning around to face his love interest. They stood there in awkward silence for a minute as if neither of them could break it. It was really uncomfortable, but, kind of soothing... those eyes...  _  
_

_Lookin' like galaxies in the sky..._ Rocket thought internally,  _Ey're so hypnotizin'... and that hair.... goddamnit, 'M no good for 'er!_ Rocket's eyes shut tight as to not look at Mantis' distracting features. Until he opened them wide.

When he felt a hand on top of his head.

Mantis' hand. Soothing him down. Not using her Empathic Abilities, but rubbing his between his ears in circles. Mantis was leaning forward, now sitting on top of her legs, she continued to rub the raccoon's head. "Rocket, ever since I meet you on Berhart, I... I saw you nothing more than I was to Ego... a pet." Mantis said somberly, still staring at Rocket and even though he wasn't looking at her, he was looking down at her thighs and thought how soft they were. "And, now...? I see you as the most charming, the most cunning and... well, the most adorable person I have ever met." she finishes that last one softly, ducking her head as her lips curl in a shy smile. "But Rocket..." Mantis began again, this time, both of them raise their heads at the same time to look at each other in the eyes, "right now... as of this moment. My opinion hasn't changed a single bit." she says and then chuckles softly and out of embarrassment, before curling her lips into a smile once more. "A-And! Heh, I would really like to get to know you better! As a person! I want to make our relationship work, Rocket. Because the truth is..." Mants' eyes drooped a bit, staring at him enticingly now.

Rocket's entire body squirmed and he began to choke on his own words, "Auh, are-a... Th-w-whe-" Mantis only giggled and radiated a soft, genuine and compassioning smile at him.

"What do you need me to do for you, Rocket Raccoon?" she says as she puts her right hand on the procyon's back and the left one around his head. She pulled him in a warm and soft embrace, hugging and holding Rocket close to her body, smudging his face against her breast; but she didn't care. She just wants Rocket to know how much she means to him. 

Rocket, on the other hand, was having a mental breakdown. He hadn't the slightest control in his body. It was tingly, the sensation was controlling him like a puppet on strings. It felt so good to be held. He always craved physical contact, all the way back to his days in the labs. But unlike the sadistic scientists from those days, Mantis was... he warmth was so...

The realization of what she was doing to Rocket just snapped in his cybernetically-enhanced brain. Something reacted. His animal instincts were unleashed due to the pure amount of stress and pressure that Mantis was giving him. His eyes turned red with raging fury, and he didn't even consider for reasoning with the bug girl. Instead...

" **GET'TOFFA ME YOU BI~~~~TCH!!!"** Rocket screamed as he clawed her arms and wrists more than twice. Mantis' cries of agony gave a pained chill down his spine as he was released and dropped, before getting clawed once more on her bottom right jaw and her across the bridge of her nose, red seeping quickly through the wounds and down her throat. Rocket's eyes wide as his heart dropped seeing the bug lady hold her hand up to her face with wide teary eyes.

She pressed the palm of her hand to the bridge of her nose and pulled back, looking at the blood smudged all over her palm, clearly in shock and in anguish at the raccoon lashing out at her and how much damage he did to her.

Mantis' face fell to a very regrettable expression as her lower lip quivered and her nose wrinkled in disgust of the smell of blood on her face and hands. The only noises her mouth were able to make were whimpers and broken sobs. She fell to her knees and covered her face, crying in her hands loudly, whaling so loud, anyone in the area would be able to her.

She was wrong about Rocket. How could it come to this? She let her emotions get the better of her and she paid the price. Rocket was supposed to be her teammate, her friend! But seeing as how her "friend" attacked her when she was at her most vulnerable, she could do nothing but cry and blame him for it.

As for Rocket... Rocket did nothing but stare at her in horror as a wave of guilt washed over the rest of his thoughts and emotions. He stared down at his paws, his claws were stained and seeping of his friend's blood. One drop of blood falling on the floor was enough for Rocket to snap his head back at Mantis, who's crying had dialed back a bit, but was still crying uncontrollably and forceful now. He stretched out a paw to her, shaking a bit.

"M-Mantis" he began, "I don't--It wa--"

" **DON'T TOUCH ME~~~~~E!!!!"** she shrieked at the top of her lungs! Rocket's paw jerked back as he took two steps back. Rocket had never heard the lady scream so loud before. Not even Drax' battle cry could compete with that. "I wish I have never met you... I have never come here," she said, her voice shaken, broken and frustrated. "What am I... doing... in a place like this?" she scooted away from Rocket before standing up straight, forcing Rocket to lock his gaze upwards. "Gamora was right about you."

"M-Mah..." Rocket was out of breath.

"I want you out of my sight," Mantis said sternly, her voice still broken and whimpering with tears & blood streaming down her cheeks, the two liquids merging on her cheeks. "I do not..." she hiccuped before continuing, "want to meet people like you, ever again. I do not ever want to see you ever again. Not even if you were to apologize, you cannot... you can not...!" her voice breaking, but her face stilled. And all Rocket did was stare at her...

 **"STOP FUCKING WITH ME!!!"** ...until she threw a wrench at his muzzle, causing the raccoon to flinch back hold his hands up in defense before seeing her run out the main entry door of the Quadrant. And Rocket, again, did nothing but stare at her run until she was out of sight.

 

Rocket's heart sank.

 

And so did his knees, smacking them against the cold metal floor.

 

Tears streamed down his face after replaying every single moment from the beginning.

 

This was his fault.

 

All of it.

 

"Oh, flark."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (after 4 hours of writing this): Okay, I lied, I'm enjoying this way too much XD


	4. Where Can I Go To Where I Can Follow You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rocket being the reason Mantis ran off, he can no longer forgive himself for what he did and is now sulking in his grief. Mantis feels she can't forgive Rocket for what she did to her, but the feelings for him were still there. Neither of them is sure of what to do, but the two might be able to turn this around in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in this Chapter: 7155 (Took me 12 friggin' HOURS)
> 
> Date Chapter Released: June 15, 2019
> 
> Next one will be the last one! (Last chapter, I don't know about the whole story yet.)

Rocket's POV

 _Oh, oh god..._ Rocket's head still stuck on that traumatizing moment from then, _What am I gonna do? You're an idiot, Rocket._

Rocket, who fucked up, was sulking and walking to Pete and the others, unbeknownst to them of what happened between him and Mantis. Rocket wasn't even looking or snarling at people who gave him "the-stank-eye" or yelling profanity at the people calling him an animal. All he could think about and focus on was that moment replaying in his head.

Mantis' face when Rocket scratched her. Mantis' face when she acknowledged the blood on her hand. Mantis' face when she screamed at Rocket. Mantis' face when she ran away. Rocket couldn't even remember what made him snap. Whether it is his reaction to being touched or his conflicting emotions getting the best of him. Regardless, the deed was already done. Mantis was gone and it was all his fault. His face was already wet with tears, soaking in the fur of his scruffy cheeks. The procyon's heart was broken to see her leave like that, the fact that she left because of him made him feel the worse. This happens every damn time. Every damn time Rocket tries opening up to people, he fucks it up. It happened with Yondu, the Guardians... even Lylla. Despite the cause of his destructive and sensitive behavior was due to the scientists' experimenting on him every damn day. But that was no excuse to have not tried to control and contain his anger. Mantis saw Rocket for who he really was. A failure, miserable, experimented piece-of-shit raccoon. That's all he was. And nothing more.

Rocket finally came upon the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy, with Peter and Dey shaking hands together, presumably they finally got the ship. Cool. Whatever. When Rocket walked up to behind the group, Groot was the only one to notice, not only his appearance but his face. Rocket did nothing but look down, too ashamed of himself to look at his son in such a weaken and heartbroken state.

Groot knelt down to his father figure and whispered "I am Groot?" to him softly. Rocket was now looking up at his son, his eyes filled with tears. Groot's face softens and he repeated his question. "I am Groot?" Rocket hiccuped and his ears twitched. "'M sorry, Groot," he whimpered, the last word turned into a broken sob, hanging his head low and holding his left paw over his eyes.

Groot put his rooted right hand on Rocket's left shoulder and pushed his hand down from his muzzle. "I am Groot," he said, more sternly. Rocket's voice broke into another sob before staring up at his son with beady eyes. "I am Groot," Groot said more softly, not wanting his father to feel uncomfortable about opening up to him. Rocket's eyes lessened and he started to calm down. He sniffled a bit before inhaling and exhaling slowly and sharply. But he could even open his mouth, Peter came up to him and interrupted him.

"There you are, Rocket!" he exclaimed with a soft chuckle, smiling down at Rocket with a genuine smile as if he actually looked happy to see him. "Look, about... 'bout what I said about you being a raccoon," Peter started, with a darker, more mellower tone. "I didn't mean it, 'ight? I... I guess I was just... I get so pissy in the mornin' and well... honestly I didn't thank you for fixin' the ship after it started leakin' gas. You really saved us. But I, I thought I would make it up to you. I took your notes, and saw you were looking at some other M-class spaceships." Rocket's ears perked up and he blinked his tears away as he looked at his captain. "Heh, yeah. Don't think I didn't notice. But... Dey was able to get as a Nova trended, well tuned, well suited-out, state-of-the-art tech, M-Class spaceship!" Peter exclaimed with his trademark over-enthusiastic joy and smirk. Rocket turned to the ship and... well it didn't look much different from the _Milano_ except it looked cooler and had a better back engine and better wing thrusters. Rocket's lips parted into a sad smile, still blinking his tears away. But Quill didn't stop there.

"I'm calling 'er the _Benatar,_ " he said, shooting him with finger guns. Rocket stared back at Quill with even more confused and narrowed eyes. "Ya know, like... Like Pat Benatar? ... _Hit Me With Your Best Shot_?" he turned to the other Guardians. Rocket went back to being in his bitter state; leave it for Quill to ruin the mood. Groot pouted and went back to his father's side.

"But hey." Quill started, Rocket's ears perking up again, but didn't meet the Terran's gaze. "If you're still pissy, I wanted to let you fly my ship this time! You can have.... 35% of the ship? That sound good?"

Rocket's nose twitched and nodded his head up and down, "Yeah," he murmured. "That... that sounds nice." He looked up at Quill and smirked, toothy grin and all. "Thanks, Quill." It's nice to hear the humie still thinks of him as his best bud.

"By the way," Quill continued, looking around the port. He huffed and said, "Where's Mantis? Isn't she...? Did she come with you?"

Rocket's ears and heart dropped upon hearing that name. _Shit._ Now he was cornered. Rocket doubted he could talk his way out of this, he definitely didn't want anything to deal with Quill's angry state, especially after the whole Ego-Yondu fiasco. It would be too painful, Peter finally trusted him with their newly bought ship, and now he got himself fucked, yet again.

He inhaled sharply and tried to speak, but he just started making incomprehensible noises. All eyes were on him now, even Dey's, and that bastard had no business to do with this. "I..." Rocket croaked, his voice soft and quiet. "The bug..." Rocket mumbled the words into nothingness.

"What?" Gamora spoke up, her voice was normal, but it still made Rocket jump. "What was that, Rocket?" Rocket's voice hitched.

"The bug girl is..." his words turn into mumbles again.

"SPEAK, COWARD RAT!!!" Drax exclaimed, clearly tired of Rocket's stammering and mumbles.

"MANTIS RAN OFF!!!" Rocket yelled back at Drax, revealing to his crewmates his most emotional moment.

The Guardians stared at Rocket in shock of what he said, but Peter's face cringed in confusion, clearly, he must be hearing the raccoon wrong. "Ran off?" Peter repeated, trying to keep his cool, "Wha... What do you mean, 'ran off'?!" and he was failing. "Wh-What...?" Peter was struggling.

"I said she..." Rocket's voice cracked just thinking about it. "It's my fault... I made her run off." Rocket hung his head low, he was tired of this mushy bullshit, but he had to come clean. But he knew there was no getting out of this. For fuck's sake, he didn't mean for ANY of this to happen. But here they were.

"I am Groot?" Groot took his father's paw, but he snatched it away.

"We must find her." The grey-muscled man proclaimed. Drax was the only one to seem to be understanding. He wants to take action first; ask questions later. "If our friend is lost, we must get her back." He turned his head to Peter, who turned his head back at Drax.

Peter wasn't having it though. "W-Wha..." His gaze turned back to Rocket, glaring at the procyon with a death stare. "What did you DO!? What happened?! Tell me!" he exclaimed, practically demanding at this state.

Rocket inhaled sharply again, "Look, Quill," he said dryly, "if you can just let me explain with ya yellin' in MAH FACE--!"

Peter scoffs, "Oh, well," he nods his head vigorously and raises his arms out, then drops them with ease. "I'm all ears, PAL, so why don't you tell me what the FUCK you did." he finishes gritting his teeth.

This was going swell. Rocket being yelled at by his pal, Peter Quill, and all because of some--Rocket's mind went into a blur.

"I...Tch...I--I clawed her," he says somberly. The Guardians expressed both shock and anger at the procyon, as if they heard Rocket declare himself the King of Spartax.

Gamora couldn't believe her ears. "Are you..." Gamora grabs Rocket's chest by his suit and holds him up to her at eye level. "What did you just say?!", she yelled at his face, while he was trying to claw his way out of her powerful grip.

Rocket spat at her, "I SAID I CLAWED HER! AND SHE RAN! B-BUT I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Rocket's voice shook, as though he were scared by the green woman actually killing him right then and there. Good riddance, though, right? Gamora's grip tightened.

"Why?!" her voice shook as well, wavering at her worst fears for Mantis of what Rocket has done to her. "TELL ME!" Gamora yelled as she shooked the raccoon in a frenzy. And she would've thrown him, too, if Dey hadn't intervein.

"Hey, let'em go! Gamora!" the Nova corpsman pulled Gamora back by locking his arms under her armpits and she dropped Rocket immediately. Rocket fell to the ground and Groot rushed over to him, shouting "I am Groot!" at the green woman as she pushed herself out of Dey's arms.

"No, enough!" she yelled, enough to make Peter's boots shake and Drax' eyes widen at her. "I want to know why! Why?! Did you...!" Gamora's voice broke, as though she were about to cry. As though she were reliving memories of when she almost cried when she made her first blood sacrifice for Thanos. Almost on the verge of tears. "She loved you! And you...all she thought about was you..." her voice shook. Gamora's knees looked weak, and she held her head, looking down at Rocket with sweat pouring down her right jaw. "Why did you do that?" she asked sternly.

Groot's gaze turned from Gamora's to Rocket's, who was still being held in his tree-branch-like arms. His face looked as though it were pondering like he couldn't see Rocket physically, but he knew what the raccoon was thinking. "I am... Groot?" the tree teen asked slowly, unsure if he asked a dumb question to his father.

Drax stepped a foot forward to Gamora and pressed his large hand on her skinny left shoulder. "Gamora," he says, "If Rocket truly did love our ugly bug, then we should let them explain themselves. We have strength, but what we do not have is coordination." he states, dropping his hand from her shoulder.

"Drax..." Gamora says softly. "What...?" Drax only raises a hand up to her.

"I am aware that Mantis and Rocket have explaining to do. But we need to put that behind us. Our friend is missing. And until we can get her back, we cannot have the full answer." he stats matter-of-factually. Gamora's gaze fell on the raccoon, who scowled.

"Yeah, well..." Rocket cracks his neck back into place by shoving it to right and left, before rolling it back and looking up at Drax and Gamora, "Mantis doesn't want ta see me again." he finishes somberly. Peter steps in.

"Then you stay here," Peter says sternly, giving the raccoon a serious glare, "and you'll stay put until we find Mantis and bring her back. Then the both of you will explain your... mess." he finished, wiping under his nose and snorted.

Rocket's ears drooped and he slumped back into Groot's arms, who caught him without even trying. Rocket didn't want to argue with that. Even if he wanted to find Mantis and make sure she was safe and not getting herself killed out there, Rocket couldn't bring himself to face the bug-eyed girl without... _WITHOUT ALL THE SHIT THAT HAPPENED BEFORE! Argh, how did things come to this?! Why?!_ Rocket clenched his head with his paws and ducked down, obviously having a headache from this whole ordeal. Who wouldn't?

"Dey," he turns the Nova corpsman now, "keep an eye on Rocket." Dey turned his head to face Peter, but he had a confused look on his face, like Peter was giving him demands, as if he wasn't Captain of the Nova Corp and just some friend you have in school. "I know you probably have some important boring meeting to go to, being a cop and all, but you need to do this for me, Rocket's..." Peter couldn't finish his conflicting thought, as Dey raise a hand to him and walk towards the half-Terran.

"Hey, okay man, I got ya' but, don't... just don't leave me for too long, I don't feel comfortable around him," he says a bit quietly, to make sure Rocket didn't hear.

"Geez, Thanks!" he exclaimed, "Real pals you have, Quill-Dork!" he harrumphed, crossing his arms and leaping out of Groots arms.

Peter turned from Dey and faced the other Guardians, "Alright, gang." he starts, "If we want to find Mantis quickly and effectively, we need to split up. Start a search. Ask civilians if they've seen her. And once we find her and bring her back," he halts, glaring down at the grouchy raccoon, "we'll get to the bottom of this." he finishes, putting his dual guns that were in his side holsters on safety mode and bent down to check if his jet boots were off. Once everything was in order the Guardians bid a farewell to Dey and a glimpse to Rocket before departing and leaving the private port station. Rocket was left to his thoughts once Dey left him alone in the ship to sulk.

 _If I see Mantis again... she'll probably kill me. It ain't like I don't deserve it. She could blow me up with my own guns for all I care._ Rocket's back fell against the interior wall of the common room and slide down before landing on his ass. Rocket's ear twitched in contempt, in desire for...

"Beer..." he whispered to himself. He got up and stood in front of the exit of the _Benatar_ and walked down the steps, taking a quick glance at Dey in a chair snoring his ass off. Using this opportunity, Rocket walked off and wondered out of the port hanger, "I need me some krutackin' beer..."

* * *

Mantis' POV

 _Rocket..._ Mantis' voice echoed in her mind. _How could you?_

Mantis was in front of the exit for the Xandarian Ship Port and looked back at the building she and the remaining guardians were. She continued until she couldn't take it anymore. She hides in a discreet corner of a dark alleyway, separate from the open clean area she was wondering in before. Mantis knees fell, putting her hands over her face and did the only thing an emotional, sensitive, and touchy girl with her heart broken could do right now. She sobbed. Not only that but she felt conflicted. She felt conflicted about her feelings towards the raccoon who turned her down. Mantis sniffed and hiccuped, attempts to calm herself down as she rubbed her eyes. "W-Why?!!" she asked herself aloud, and let out one last moan of sadness before she gasped. Memories of Rocket and the bug girl's interactions these past few days appeared in her psyche.

Rocket's gaze when he met her enormous bug-like eyes. That tingle she felt when she touched Rocket's wrist for a brief moment before he batted it away. Rocket voicing a cool and ruggedly-handsome tone when he says she could join him sometimes for a chat. Rocket's somewhat menacing smile sent chills down her spine, and all the times they had bitter banters about petting and stroking were some of the laughs.

The bug-lady's head lifted again, _I am not sure how to describe it..._ she tells herself, _his character seemed... off... after I ran away. His reaction to my approach before I even spoke... the quick spark I felt after touching him... having a character that would... collect joy in combusting random artifacts... to enjoy that kind of cruelty... Somehow... he seems different from when I first saw him on Berhart. And all those times he yelled his thoughts out loud, angry and in pain... he seemed different in that. When he was... around_ **_me_ ** _? Rocket's personality itself is... very cynical and cruel... well... I figured that much was right, but he is also being more sympathetic... it seems like. What if... I was merely overreacting._

Mantis pondered. But once she was done thinking over her actions and behavior this past hour, she comes to the conclusion that Rocket may not be the bad guy here. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. But now, Mantis has no idea where to go to anymore.

Mantis got up and began wondering in a discreet, dark alleyway, far from the port Rocket and the gang was. She was also feeling more confident she could give herself the chance to walk around, try to calm herself down; probably when she was ready to reason, she would listen to what Rocket would have to say to her, to try and explain things to her. Hopefully. The alleyway itself was messy; unlike the very clean and very beautiful outside open world. Steam pipes hissed around the walls and fog covered most of the ground, so she wasn't able to see her feet almost. A child ran into her mother's arms and she picked him up before taking into one of the doors in the alleyway building. Her eyes widen and turned around once she heard what she presumed to be an angry puppy barking in the distance. Her pacing slowed down after that and she bumped shoulders with a man walking by, and then it snapped her out of her trance of fear. She now acknowledges that she was standing in a busy street, multiple men and women pushed and shoved past Mantis, how the sky got darker and the clouds grew grey. She was now on the verge of tears, finally pulled herself out of the crowd and gotten on the main street plaza. She put her hands over her head and crouched down. There goes her confidence.

"Where can I find me a krutackin' BAR 'ROUND 'ERE?!" a voice yelled aloud stood out amongst the crowd of chattering Xandarians.

Mantis' head rose and her antenna's stalked, clearly shocked that she recognized that raspy, very unsubtle, and very aggressive voice anywhere... Was she hearing things? "Rocket?" she breathed, clearly still conflicted about her emotions towards the procyon. The voice spoke again.

"Outta mah way, ya buffoon! I'm ta one gettin' in this bar!" after that, a yelp could be heard in the same direction of the corner it came from.

Mantis stood up and started to follow the sound, pushing past crowds of people. "Rocket?!" she calls to the raccoon. But she stops, realizing she made a wrong turn and wind up back in the same alley as before. She twisted and turned as the voices of the natives scrambling past her grow louder. Mantis gasps after failing to find Rocket amongst them before calling out Rocket's name to him again, but to no avail.  "Oh, Rocket! Where are you?!" Once her calls ceased, she found herself in front of the fountain in the plaza and sat down. She put her hands on her cheeks and her fingers in her ears and wore a sour expression on her face, full of sorrow and misery. Her empathic abilities are no help, making her more exposed, the voices grow louder and start to become a collage of sounds overwhelming her; tears begin to pour out of her eyes and she could do nothing but curl up on the ground and sob.

* * *

Rocket's POV

Rocket entered the bar that was on the curve of a boulevard, somewhere discrete where no one could find him and laugh at him as he sulks in misery. He pulled himself on a stool in front of the bar stand and ordered, "A shot of whiskey." The Bartender replied with, "Cocktail?", and the raccoon shot him with a finger gun and clicked his gums. Once Rocket got his shot, he gulped it down in less than a second. Feeling tired and a hinge in his throat, feeling a shot isn't potent enough to make him forget the guilt and misery in his soul, Rocket demanded more, until he had enough and asked for the whole stinkin' bottle! Rocket snatched it from the bartender's hand and took a giant swig of the thing, gulping 3 ounces before dropping the bottle on the table. He gasped and huffed, feeling a bit more tingly than before. What seemed like an hour passing by when it was actually 14 in real time, Rocket 's completely wasted. He already drank 3 bottles of scrumpy down to the last drop and was hitting his fourth. "MAYBE... by da end d'of it... I'mma might get me some stinking--better than the--" he hicked. "Lods' of you shit-stains!" he says, pushing a random dude sitting next to him hard enough to make him fall off his stool. "AUGH!", the unidentified man yelp before collapsing. "M KING OF THE WOoOoOoOoOrrllldddd'a...uh...?" he shouted before dialing it back a bit and looking around himself to see everybody was staring at him, angry expressions said it all that they were not happy with the raccoon. Neither is the bartender.

"WHAT?! YA WANNA GO!? I AM THE FUCKING STRONG!!! I FLARKIN' BLOW UP MOONS AND YE THINK YOU'RE ANY GOOD?! COME ON THEN!! LET'S--"

Rocket was yanked and thrown out of the bar into the dark alleyway, hitting his muzzle in a pool of muddy water, slowly mixing in red because his black nose was bleeding. "You need to learn to SHUT the fuck up!" one of the men that kicked him out said and then literally kicks his ribs as he watches the already drunken raccoon curl up in a ball and drag himself in against the wall of the alley. "Next time you learn to keep yer loud mouth smack shut!" he said kicking the procyon again, so hard, in fact, it made him whine in pain. "Tch... Go ta' hell..." Rocket said, spitting blood out his mouth. Rocket was starting to lose consciousness, everything, his vision, his mind going black and he could see another swinging kick coming. However before his brain shut off, the last word he heard sounded very distant but very familiar.

 _"_ **_Sleep._ ** _"_

* * *

General POV

 _Goddamn..._ Rocket cursed internally, _Feel like shit._

The faint tune of Star-Lord's music soundtrack was playing in the background of the place. So it had to be familiar to him, right?

Rocket awoke with his body on the bed and his position on the bed was... weird.  He was lying down on his left next to what felt like a body pillow and his right claw firmly attached to it. He felt wide awake due to the touch of slender fingers coursing through the top of his furred head. The soft strokes pulling him out of his drunken state. It finally hit him like a truck upon awakening from his drunkness that someone was petting him. Another thing he noticed is that his the pain he had in his stomach doesn't hurt anymore. In fact, his entire body felt calm and relaxed. He hasn't felt like this in a long time. Letting out a disgruntled groan, the procyon struggled in bringing in the feeling back into his limbs enough to relieve himself of the soft sensation by the weight atop his shoulder. Rocket so desperately wanted to move his head off the soft pillow he was laying on, but it was so, so _SO krutackin'_ ** _soft._** The tired raccoon naws the soft squishy pillow with his teeth and drags his entire body to lay atop the body pillow, pressing his muzzle deeper between it. _God, this pillow's so warm! I don't even feel da pain in my stomach no more!_

But then the pillow moaned.

Rocket's eyes snapped open wide and peered the area around himself and noticed his vision was still a bit blurry. The raccoon lifted his head slowly, still feeling woozy, but clawed at the soft pillow and groaned, obviously not fully recovered from the incident before. After blinking blearily for a few seconds, the raccoon was able to see the situation he was in much more clearly, although he wasn't too sure it was such a feat as he took in his surroundings. The room was a dark grey-walled and smelled like a new ship. Must be the _Benatar_ . Not that the _Quadrant_ smelled this good, but he could tell the difference. Rocket's paws loosened their firm grip on the "pillow" and tried moving, but he still felt tired. He did, however, looked straight ahead of him, looking at the pale face with glowing bright antennas that did nothing but make him squint to see the image in front of him better. Then...

"G-Good evening, R-Rocket." he heard a quiet and gently feminine voice call to him from the pillow.

Rocket's ears perked up and he squinted his eyes until the image became clear as day. His eyes widen as his gaze focused upon Mantis, the last woman he wants her to see, and he sits up completely, back straight and everything.

"W-Wh--?" Rocket's tail and ears stalked up as he realized what exactly he was sitting on if the bug girl was beneath him. _T-Then... what I was grabbin' was ta..._ Rocket gives them one more squeeze to confirm if his suspicions were right. Mantis moan was--

Yep.

He was right.

And his pants felt tighter.

"GUAAAAH!!!!!" Rocket yelled as he snatched his arms away and tumbled to his right off the bed, "TU'WAH!!" falling smack on the cold metal ground and groaning. "Ow."

Mantis sat up slowly and cupped her breasts, looking away from the direction Rocket fell off the bed; wearing a twisted frown as her lips trembled. _H-His grip is what was scary about that..._ she squeezes her own chest as her nipples started to show through her green tunic. _It felt so painful... but it felt so good~._ Her train of thought was broken as her antennas and head perked up at the sound of Rocket groaning again and climbing back up on the bed.

"Rocket!" she crawled on the bed towards him and leaning over to him. When Rocket didn't even meet her gaze or successfully climb back up on the bed, the bug girl found the courage to lend a helping hand, by extending her right one to him. "Here," she says, wearing a blank expression on her face. "Come here. I will help you up."

The room went quiet. Even the tune of the Zune stopped.

Rocket's expression was more sorrow and depressed, his tired eyes looking up at Mantis' unwavering gaze and then looked at her hand and sniffed it. He grabbed it with his left and the bug lady help aided him up the bed by pulling him up with a soft grunt and when they were finally back up, Mantis took away her hand. They sat there for a moment, sitting in the sober silence that surrounds the air.

"M-Mantis..." Rocket says, reaching his left hand back to her but once it began twitching, showing signs of his hesitation and fear, he pulled it down and slumped his back. "A-Are..." he scratched his neck with his right hand. "Y-You bleedin' again?" Mantis shook her head.

"Are you still mad at me...?" Mantis shook her head.

"Are you okay?" Mantis bit her lip and began to show tears reflect in her eyes. Rocket's ears perked up and tried to help. "I-I swear I didn't mean ta attack ya like that, I-I got nervous and-- I saw--I thought I was, well, I mean I knew, but-- Th-Then I saw the-- and I overreacted and y-you I-It- I didn't--" Rocket panted as he was out of breath, and laid his back on the bed, sighing in aggravation he couldn't get his thoughts across.

Mantis huffed, wearing a soft expression on her face and crawled over to Rocket's body on his left and sat on her legs once she was there. "Rocket..." she says, her eyes half-lidded. "Why are you in such pain? In so much confusion? I... I did not even believe you would still want to talk to me after you pushed me away... and well..." she shows her torn green gloves and the dry blood on them, but what Rocket noticed before all that was that there wasn't any more blood on her fingers and wrists, instead, wrapped bandages were covering some jabs his claws made in her soft skin.

Rocket winced and his ears flew back, cringing to himself just thinking about that moment when he scarred his lover's most precious skin. "Ah, d'ast... Baby-Boo..." Rocket lifted only his body up by using his elbows to support his weight and turn his head to his left, the side Mantis was on. "I know I fucked up... But you don't need ta remind me that I'm a monster." the bug girl's confused face made it seemed as if she were offended.

But in reality, Mantis was actually recalling two things Rocket just said to her. _W-What did Rocket just call me? "Baby-Boo"? Was that what he said...?_  Then the second thing he said repeated in her mind.

"AH!" they both shouted in unison.

"You--!" they stopped short at the sound of their voices overlapping each other.

"I am s-sorry, I--"

They paused once rhythming invoices.

"It is--"

"You go--"

"Uh....heh..." Rocket laid back down and let out a soft chuckle.

"Go Ahead.." Rocket finally spoke out, relaxing his muscles a tad and locking his gaze on Mantis, not able to look away now.

"Ah-haha... Uh." She plays with her hair a bit with her bandaged right hand. "W-What I was trying to say was... um... well... I thank you for the n-name you gave me," she says with a coy smile and adverting Rocket's eyes, a pretty green blush illuminated from her cheeks. "I like it."

Rocket's eyes widen in shock, at how touched and soft she sounded when she said that. Rocket was also touched, actually happy he was able to make her smile again. To see that wonderful, charming, and absolutely heart-pounding smile. He relaxed again, smiling back at her and his ears twitched with excitement, flapping about.

"Don't sweat it, Baby-Boo," he says with a toothy grin, satisfied that he was able to get a soft and charmed giggle from the woman.

Mantis' exhaled, silently relieved that this conversation was going better than she anticipated, "Another thing," she starts off with, and the procyon's ears swirled to her direction.

"You are not a monster Rocket. You never were. Ego was." she says, now acting very bold, speaking against her former master with such low esteem. "He was truly an evil, foul and nefarious being. Everything about him made me hate him even more. Even when he called you a triangle faced monkey. You are wonderful in your own way of showing it. Yes, you have flaws, such as your demeanor and your abilities to hate and judge others so quickly. But..." Mantis allowed her hand to hover over her chest, placing her palm over her heart. "But after Ego... Your character has changed. Your heart feels. Sympathy. Affectionate, and even maturity."

Rocket ponders her words before humming in what sounded like an overexaggerated grunt. "Well, if you call drinkin' and getting thrown out of bars 'maturity' then you got a lot to learn, Bug-Eyes." he chuckled sarcastically at his own stupid joke.

Not so stupid as he initially thought, as Mantis stifled a laugh behind her bandaged right hand. "Well, yes, that, and you attacking me," she says with a small, but bitter smile. That sentence made Rocket cringe again and sighed heavily, mainly because he was still hung up about that. Even he couldn't let it go. 

"But," Mantis' voice made him perk up and look at her face once more. "despite all that... I think you just... overreacted, and... well, tried to attack me out of fear of revealing your emotions to me. Like how I was." she says, looking down at the raccoon laying on the bed below her. "And now..." she puts her left hand on his chest, rubbing it contently and mindful of the implants. "I would still feel the same, If not for my true feelings for you. These wounds on my wrists and face mean nothing to me now. You felt it too, then, did you not? We..."

"Bug-Eyes..." Rocket says in a daze. He couldn't get enough of those eyes. He could see them, how dull yet, how big they were compared to the rest of her eye. It looked creepy, but it had an effect that made Rocket squirm, wanting to tell her something, but her eyes knew what he was going to say before he was even going to. She was so cute, too. Those strings of hair going around her face and curling around, covering her neck. That light blue string of her on her right side was nothing but cuter than he could possibly imagine her to be. Rocket's right paw traveled up to his chest and laid on top of her hand, patting it gently. There it was again. That same tingly sensation that they had briefly felt on the  _Quadrant_ , fluttered in his heart once more and it was all the more powerful the more they touched hands. Initially, Rocket thought it was a trick, a ruse. Something that couldn't be real. But then Rocket soon realized that neither of them were faking their emotions. All of this was their emotions towards  **each other**. The pounding in his heart accelerated, now understanding what this sort of "thing" was. 

"Rocket..." Mantis replied in a similar daze. The young woman had seen Rocket's eyes many times. The sear beauty and magnificence of them. Mantis absolutely loved how beautiful they were. Shades of amber, dark gold, glossy copper collected around black pupils that were wider than normal. Mantis remembered being told by Peter once that people's eyes got wider when they were looking at someone they were attracted to and her heart rate grew quicker. Those brilliantly bright brown eyes surrounded by a dark furry mask confirmed what she'd known. Mantis was without a doubt, one-hundred percent in love with Rocket. Mantis so very desperately wanted the procyon for herself. She wanted nothing more than to pick him up, snuggle him between her arms and breast and shower him with affection. It's the only thing she knew what to do. That's what she thought love is. But there was no way Rocket would like that. And if that's what he wants, that's fine with Mantis. All she wanted to was to reconnect to him. Understand him better. Be with him until the very end. She wants so desperately to want this "thing" happen with Rocket.

Mantis dove the hand that was on Rocket's chest and curved it around his head and neck as takes her right hand and puts takes it behind Rocket's abdomen, lifting him up enough to feel his shallow breathing as his breath was hot, and stank of alcohol. Rocket's tongue hanged on the right side of his jaw, panting heavily at the sheer anticipation of having been this close to Mantis again. He was trying. He was trying really hard not to freak out and squirm out of her arms. But the scratching behind his ears made him stop. His eyes went half-lidded as he continued to inch closer to the young bug woman. 

Rocket dug his claws under Mantis' arms that were holding him up closer to her. "Mantis..." he whispered, his breath hitting her hard and his wet, black nose was fitted neatly under the bug woman's nose and said bug woman pressed her lips on the procyon's black-outlined lips.

They kissed.

And Rocket was unable to help kissing back, his cheeks growing hot ferociously under the fur on his cheeks. What shocked him most was that Mantis wasn't gagging or pushing him away in revulsion. Her lips were so soft and warm, making him pulled away quickly before huskily exhaling and smashing his lips back into hers. He let himself fall as close to Mantis as he could, pushing further against her as his paw traveled above her breasts and pressed his palm there. The procyon wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away so easily, so he gripped Mantis' shoulders and also made sure he wouldn't fall off the bed. 

 _My god..._  Rocket thought in awe,  _Is this really happenin'?_

Mantis' perspective was absolutely booming. This was something she never felt before. And she thinks Rocket hasn't either. Mantis could taste the alcohol in her mouth from his breath, his teeth clacking against her's as he attempts to maneuver his sharp edges away from her precious gums. "Rocket," she breathed bring her hands to rub the back of his neck. She could feel him shiver at the sheer mention of his name, that's when she thought she screwed the whole thing up when Rocket pulled away and breathed. Mantis whined at the temporary loss of his warmth against her lime-green face. Until Rocket smacked his lips back on Mantis' and dove his tongue in her mouth. "Mmmph!?~~" Rocket's surprise paid off, as he completely took the bug girl by surprise. It was sloppy, the kiss, it was. Rocket's thin tongue swirled around in her mouth, making the girl whimper and moan inwardly. She found herself leaning in and closing her eyes, enjoying the moment. Then Rocket's lips were parting slightly, inhaling, and Mantis took that as an advantage and pushed deeper.

 _He is so feisty..._  Mantis observed internally,  _Maybe he is a puppy._

"Damn..." the procyon said inside her mouth. The antenna-chick's tongue ran gently over the thick, blunt front of Rocket's teeth, carefully evading the sharp ends. Mantis gripped the raccoon's neck fur gently, mostly because her hands felt awkward grabbing his sides, considering their height difference, and also because it was pretty darn soft. Much softer than it looked.

Rocket pulled away, breathing in the air like a dog in the heat of the sun. "So...huff... **Horny**..." the raccoon said with his wide, copper, glossy eyes. Mantis, on the other hand, huffed and puffed evenly with half-lidded eyes and her cheeks were burning hot. Mantis slowly dropped her hands and put the raccoon back down gently before leaning back and sitting back down on her legs. Looking down at her hands, she could see some shedding fur from the procyon's neck. She looked back at Rocket, who was now staring up at the ceiling, his left paw on his chest. Rocket gulped.

"We're screwed, Baby-Boo," he said smacking his right paw on his forehead and groaning. "Damnit... It's ma' fault."

Mantis was cut off from her train of thought and she regained her composure, her eyes returned to normal and her cheeks, well, kind of stopped blushing; she was still in the heat of the moment after that kiss. 

"Why?" she askes, crawling back to his side on the bed. "I thought what... I thought what we were having was special," she says, shyly, playing with her right hair string like some second-grade Xandarian kid.

Rocket looked back at his... girlfriend? That wasn't decided yet. "Wh-What? No!" he says gently bringing his right paw up to Mantis' hands and brought them down from her beautiful locks. "I... what I meant by that was... the... w-we... we don't work t'gether, you and I, bug. What we have? It's..." his heart began to pound again. Why is he being an asshole at a time like this? "...wonderful! But... the others. Quill, Gams, Drax, Groot--ho, don't get me started on Groot! He'll never shaddup about it 'till I die!" he says fanning his arms out.

Mantis' face was pondering as if she were considering what Rocket had said, and immediately wished he could take back. But he watched the girl think until...

"Does that mean... Groot will have a mother?" Mantis asked seriously.

Fuck 'girlfriend' apparently.

Rocket spaced off, thinking about something before blood squirted out of his nose and he quickly turned away from Mantis, covering his muzzle with his right arm. "Rocket?" the bug woman called to him, "Are you alright? Did something--?"

"Mm'FINE!" he spats, wiping away the access blood coming from his black nose. "Tch,"  _Damn that ignorant bug lady... saying random shit like that gonna make me feel horny!_ "Just... w-what the hell do you mean, 'mother'? Like... w-whats...?" Rocket asks the woman as if he ain't asking for too much other than the fact that she basically asked if he was _GONNA FUCK THE INNOCENT BUG WOMAN AND HAVE HER BABIES!!!_

Mantis looked down, pondering again.  _If it is too much to ask of him..._ "I simply asked if I was going to be a mother and have your offsprings. The choice is your own on what you want to do to me," she says plainly, shrugging her shoulders. That's when Rocket's noseblood began to start up again. But Rocket was trapped in thought, so the blood simply dripped from his muzzle and starred at Mantis. "I mean..." she starts again, turning her bright, blushing green face away from Rocket. "I always wanted to be the mother of a handsome, strong man, like you. And if it is not too much to ask to have sex with you, but that is for you to decide. As a male, you are dominant. At least. That's what Ego told me," she finishes with a scowl. "But," Mantis turned back to Rocket with shut eyes and positive smile, "if you are going to ask for permission to have sexual intercourse with me, then I say yes! If you do--" 

Mantis eyes blinked open and blinked a bit. Before looking on the bed and see Rocket wasn't on with her anymore. "Rocket?!" she exclaimed. "Where did you--?!" 

"Urrgh..." a voice from below the bed can be heard.

Mantis looked over the bed and saw Rocket upside-down with his back against the mattress and his head on the floor. His feet and tail twitched as a pool of nose blood were scattered on the floor near his muzzle. "Rocket!" Mantis rushed to his side and picked him up, cradling the raccoon in her arms. "Rocket, stay with me!" she cries to him as the raccoon let out a dazed chuckle and pressed his face against her soft and squishy chest.

 

 _I love you, Mantis._  Rocket said internally. _I really do._

 

 _I love you, Rocket._ Mantis said internally. _I really do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so cute together, aren't they?! We're nearing the end here, so here we go!


	5. When Are We Getting Married?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been three months since Rocket and Mantis shared their kiss and established their relationship. Everything was going alright until Rocket going into a grumpy mood. That's when Mantis goes to check on our procyon fellow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: SHITS ABOUT TO GET HOT UP IN THIS BITCH
> 
> Words in this Chapter: 5432
> 
> Date Chapter Released: June 22, 2019

Rocket and Mantis had been a relationship for three months now. Since they shared their kiss on the _Benatar_ , Rocket had shown himself to be a soft and mildly-open type of boyfriend to Mantis, showing her respect in her personal boundaries and even took her on some dates to Xandar and Knowhere. Mantis had shown great generosity towards her raccoon lover, giving him gifts and helping him around the workshop, spend time building and getting dusty whenever Groot was unavailable to work with his dad. They shared a lot of laughs too, sometimes it would be about Peter or Drax being stupid or doing silly things; sometimes it would be about Rocket bragging to Mantis about his accomplishments of getting out of 23 prisons, or killing Ronan the Accuser and holding the Power Stone with his friends. Every time they did something new, they did it together and enjoyed each others company. And kissed more, of course, but in private. Rocket wasn't ready to go all smoochy-woochy in public yet.

But one night, during a dinner where all of the Guardians were gathered in the common room table being served Gamora's cooking, Rocket started yelling out at the rest in pure rage over his own insecurities, blaming them for his reason of **'** goin' soft **'** before cursing and leaving the table with his supper. Mantis was worried and concerned, but when she had hoped for the procyon's rage to die down after tomorrow, it did not. In fact, it grew worse. Rocket wasn't coming out of his room, and when he did, Mantis rarely saw him do so; she only knew because she noticed some of the food served at dinner was disappearing. But on the third day, Mantis caught a glimpse of the raccoon scampering away from the common room to his own room with his supper. Before, on the first day, she was letting Rocket blow off some steam, so she didn't bother him at first. On the second, the empath woman grew more concerned, even fearful for his health, but she still didn't have the courage to go to him to check to see what was wrong with him.

Now in the present, Mantis stood outside Rocket's room door, puffing her chest up with courage before knocking on the cold metal door. "Rocket?" she chimes, trying to sound as calm and peaceful as possible, "I... I have noticed you have not talked to me lately. And I noticed how upset you were three days ago." she presses her hands on the door, waiting for Rocket to respond back. But inside his room, Rocket froze, his eyes fixed on the door Mantis knocked on seconds prior. Rocket couldn't help but the need to hide from her, despite her soothing voice. Oh, how the flow of his girlfriend’s voice, it was very soft, pulling him in a sense of relief. Deciding it was time for him to stop hiding from her like some coward, Rocket let out a "C-Come in," as he wrapped himself up in his blanket, a sort of cacoon and hunching has back towards the door, away from Mantis as she entered.

The door hissed and opened. Rocket tensed up again, tempted to see the bug woman in her pajama clothes. He turned his head slightly to the right, hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty. He regretted doing so instantly. Mantis was standing the doorway, wearing what Rocket assumed to be her **'** pajamas **'** , a small grey sports bra, revealing a bit too much of her cleavage; grey short-shorts, revealing her gorgeous legs a whole damn bunch. Immediately, Rocket turned around, holding his snout by its black, wet nose, to make sure it wasn't bleeding again. _D-Damn that bug-woman..._ Rocket cursed internally, _she's too damn sexy._

“Rocket?" Mantis begins, her voice more gentle and quiet than usual. "I only want to make sure you are okay. I am not here to make you feel more hurt than you are right now." she begins walking towards him slowly, before resting her bottom on the bed next to Rocket, bringing her legs up and curling them beneath her. She then stares at how down his ears were. It was a painfully terrible sight for her. "I am your friend, yes? I mean no harm.” No answer came from Rocket. “I will always be there for you, Rocket." she continued, "you do not have to burden this pain by yourself. I rarely see you come out of here, how you keep ignoring me. It...” She stops at that last bit, “It is okay." she says instead, radiating a soft, sad smile, "Let me help you, Rocket, please? I would never leave your side, not even if you were to scream and bite me.” Seeing as Rocket still appeared dormant, Mantis sighed. It seemed she’d have to work a little harder than that. She figured she was close enough to Rocket as she could get, for now, so she reached out to pick Rocket up from his hunched over position. Mantis was aware of how much Rocket despise being held or pet like a puppy, but she couldn't deny how cute he looked in that little blanket cacoon he huddled himself in.

Rocket noticed Mantis stopped talking and moving. She made no motion to leave footsteps away from him, so she must have still been in the room. Then..."AHH!?" Rocket yelped, simultaneously picked up by his girlfriend and cradled in her arms. "W-Whoa, whoa wh-what the--" he was cut off when he was met with Mantis' enormous black eyes and smile. "YOU ARE SO CUTE!~~" she exclaims, absolutely booming with joy. "M-Mantis, w-what... what're ye... WAUH!!?" Rocket was rolled out of his protective blanket cacoon onto the mattress bed and falling on his back. "Oof! Hah...Uh!" Rocket covered his chest as he was only in his pajama pants, too embarrassed and insecure about Mantis seeing the implants. "aww... You are so... FUZZY~!" she hollered, digging her fingers through the fur on his chest and sides. Rocket let out a purr-whine in response to the rubbing of his fur; he'd be lying if it didn't feel pretty damn good. "You fuzzy wuzzy bunchkins of bosies!" she cooed, "Your fur is **SO SOFT** , Rocky-Boo-Boo!~" and cooed. "I could stroke your soft and fluffy fur all day~." and cooed. The procyon moaned softly at the warmth developing in his tummy area, it made him feel so damn good. His tail began to wag back and forth and his tongue hangs outside his mouth, panting gently. "D-Damn you, bug-bitch... ta' think ye' go so deep with me..."

"Oh, now you have done it, Rocky-Poo!~" she finishes with a squeal, "here comes the tickle attack!" she pounces on top of her boyfriend and tickled the top of his chest. Rocket's manically laughter filled the room as he squirmed underneath the bug woman's wiggling fingers. "Damn, Mantis! St-Stop it!!", Rocket screamed as Mantis' hands slipped below his arms and started to tickle him there. The mechanic continued to stifle laughter after laughter as he felt like he was losing his mind, unable to do anything but beg for his girlfriend to free him from this torture. Mantis could feel him tense beneath her fingers, the spastic movements, his jaw going slack and his tongue hanging outside his mouth, it was a soft image for Mantis to gaze upon. Even in his broody state, he was still trying to prove to himself and everyone else that he was not ticklish. But of course, he was. Once the bug girl was done teasing and tickling Rocket, she let out a sigh and buried her face in the fur on the back of his neck.

"Alright.", the bug woman mumbled and pulled him on her lap with a swift motion. "I do not mean to discourage you, Rocket, but I have noticed your isolation. I do not see you eating. You barely come out of your room. You cannot tell me you think I have not noticed after all this time?" she says, whispering in his ear. Rocket shivered under her soft breath and thought about how much he loved Mantis. From the looks to the smile, to the powers she possesses and her unrelenting love for him. Before Rocket could speak again, Mantis interrupted him, "Would it pain you to just tell me what you are doing? What is going on inside your mind? What is making you so tense?" Rocket paused and let out of a silent, but audible grunt. "Nothing..."

"It is not 'nothing' if it is making you upset!" she exclaims as she tackles Rocket on the mattress, pinning him down as he let out an "Oof!" before regaining his composure to meet gazes with his girlfriend. "Rocket. I love you." Mantis says, looking him in the eyes with half-lidded eyes of her own. Rocket didn't know how to respond to her after that. "Ah... w-well, that's... I, um..." the bug woman leaned closer to his face, "Did I not tell you not to lie to me?" she says, her voice breaking and her eyes start tearing up and go glossy. Rocket couldn't look at her any longer, seeing how heartbroken she is about being closed out was a gut-wrenching sight. "I... But..." Mantis huffed and put on a serious expression, "You love me too right, Rocket? I only want to know what is wrong with you. And do not say something about protecting me! It is only an excuse for you!" Rocket snapped his head back up at Mantis, who hadn't move from her looming position over him. He gulped before speaking, "I... I had a nightmare." he finally admitted. _Maybe I can do this_ , Rocket thought.

Mantis' eyes flickered open wide, "A nightmare?" she says as she blinked away the tears. Rocket nodded, though, he was still uncertain if he should be one-hundred percent honest with her, knowing how sensitive the bug is and how determined she was in the relationship. "It... I... I ran you off again... it was during a mission where you and I went alone in a cave, I think, uh..." Mantis got off Rocket and sat on her legs while Rocket was bringing his torso up with his arms. He continued to look at the big, black beady eyes of his girlfriend, the sheer amount of affection and care they were radiating towards him. "I ran you off because... of... well... Me...! A-And I know ye think I ain't-a freak, or a meanie or whateva anymore, but... you... you... I saw how upset you were with me in ta dream... I saw you ran into nothing... and I..." he mumbles off and looks down. "Oh, Rocket," Mantis says, wrapping her arms around the procyon with ease and pulling him back on her lap. He struggled at first but soon gave in and just leaned his head against the bug girl's chest, inhaling and exhaling deeply. "I do not hate you for what you are, or what you think you were then or today. I will always love you for who you are right now. You are strong, funny and cute. All I ever wanted in a man were those three qualities. That is what I like about you," she tilted Rocket's head up with her graceful fingers, as Rocket began to tear up. "I love you for who you are," she says as she leans in, giving a long kiss on his lips before pulling away. "I love you."

What Rocket perceived in the empath’s voice scared him. It was pure love and kindness, stronger than any he had already felt the past three months they've been together. And after all those times they've spent together, he had no idea how to respond. It was Rocket; sure, the raccoon had been a little distant and secretive lately, but he kicked ass. Rocket wasn't one to be emotional or vulnerable, not even in private. Not even when it was just Groot. He wasn't one to express his feelings. But with Mantis. She was different. She was the one who stood out to Rocket, and he finally figured out why that is.

Mantis put her right hand behind Rocket's head and began to stroke him between the ears before placing her chin on his head, feeling a warm tingle in her chest. He took a deep breath and then exhaled loudly. “Y're ta' bestest girl in the galaxy, Baby-Boo,” he said, breathing quietly, causing Mantis to smile. She buried her nose in his fur, breathing in his scent.  It reeked. “And you are the best...person,” she replied and planted a kiss atop his head. Neither of them realized how hot their faces had gotten nor did they notice that their breathing became more uneven and loud. “I'm- I'm not a person," he said and turned his head. For just a second, his cold nose touched her neck, making her shudder. “Don't lie ta me," he breathed on her neck, making her squirm with the raccoon still in her arms.

For a moment, Mantis just looked at him, staring into his eyes while trying to figure out what to say. All of these emotions were making her slightly dizzy and staring at him didn't make it better. “I am not lying." she breathed, giving him a weak, but genuine smile. "When we first met on Berhart, I thought you were nothing but a puppy not only to my eyes but to Ego's as well." her smile dropped upon mentioning the name. "But..." her gaze turned towards the ceiling of Rocket's room, and one small light reflecting in the bug-girl's eyes. "I soon realized that it was not the case. You are just as much of a person as everyone else on our ship. Even Groot is a person to me. I make no exceptions,” she whispered the last sentence and hoped he would believe it. All Mantis wanted was for him to feel better about himself WITHOUT using her empathic abilities to help him. All she was using her empath abilities was for reading his emotions but she could tell that his troubles were very deep and had become a part of him. She might have to use her powers on him after all, even though she hates using it on her boyfriend when she was trying to get close to him without forcing it.

“I'm ain't... I--” Rocket started, but Mantis cut him off. By burying her face in his neck and breathing,

“Shhh,” Mantis breathed into his fur as she rested her hands on his back. The two of them were acting on their own actions and their suppressed emotions & feelings. Mostly Rocket's. But Mantis had let out some as well. But Rocket was the only one who could get this close next to Drax with Mantis. His breath hit Mantis on her neck and sent goosebumps all over her body.

 _This girl..._ Rocket spoke internally, _She's not all that bad, is she?_ His heart skipped a beat, but he was all but relaxed, lifting his head from the bug-girl's soft and squishy chest.

“Mantis," Rocket breathed, "I--”

“It is okay," Mantis said and closed her eyes. “Please stop being sad.”

“I'm not--”

“Yes, you are. And I do not like it.”

Rocket pulled his head back to look at directly at Mantis. He didn't look sad. He was actually smiling. His eyes were half-lidded like he were in a trance just for looking at the bug-girl. He put his little black nose on Mantis' neck and let his tongue run through her neck. Mantis let out a moan and gasped, putting her left hand over her mouth as she breathed, "Rocket... Ahn!~" she moaned again as Rocket chuckled under her soft skin. "Baby-Bo~~~~o~," he said in a teasing tone that made her moan once more. She felt her whole body shake as she tilted her head up to give him better access to the skin on her neck. Mantis' thoughts were being clouded with something new. She didn't know if this new feeling was something good, but all she knows that this meant something for both her and Rocket. She already used her empathic abilities to feel this new tingling in her heart. What she felt was in both of them. It was more than just love and romance. It was something more... they felt... **lust and sexual desire**. Rocket moved his head down from his previous position, letting his whiskers tickle the girl's neck to her collarbone. They were both breathing heavily and at an uneven pace, so much so that their breaths intermingled together into one.

 _This feeling is so addicting..._ Mantis said internally, _I want more of this... Pleasure..._

Mantis put her hands on Rocket's back and ran her fingers through his fur, feeling him tremble beneath her hands, and soon Rocket's tongue traveled from her neck up towards her cheek then back down her cheek to her neck again. He ran his tongue over the sensitive skin, Mantis moaned aloud, but before she could even recover, Rocket let his teeth run over her collarbone. She gasped and let out a moan escape that made Rocket want to hear more of it. Mantis allowed her fingers run up and down the procyon's naked back before traveling down beneath his pajama pants and pulled her left hand out of it before pressing it back on his back and pulling him in closer to the embrace. Rocket grinned and ran a paw down to her chest and his nose traveled down to bug-girl's cleavage and bit down on it with such tenderness that Mantis began to moan uncontrollably, which made him grin even more. "Hot **DAMN**...", he said with a husky voice, making Mantis moan once more. The only intimate thing that they did this close to was the kiss they did 3 months ago. Both Rocket and Mantis had always taken it slow. But today they weren't doing so anymore. Then...

Rocket froze, completely stiff and Mantis let out a shallow gasp as she felt something hard poke her abdomen between her legs.

Mantis breathing was uneven, holding a hand to her mouth and letting out a deep sigh. "What is it?" she breathed.

Rocket didn't reply. He just stared down at the bulge with wide eyes. He did, however, pulled himself out of Mantis' arms slowly, sparing her the space they lost a while ago. _How did this happen?_ Rocket thought, _If... W-well, then... No! If we do that..._ he cringed at his own thoughts of him and Mantis doing it right now. Rocket doesn't want to have sex with Mantis for many reasons. For one, he and the bug-girl are complete virgins; neither of them knows how to do it _right_. Second, Mantis and Rocket committed to being in a correlative relationship, only engaging in romantic acts if either of them wanted to. Third, Rocket doesn't want to take advantage of Mantis' innocents. Sure, she had a smoking hot body under that jumpsuit, but even with the girl almost half naked like right now, Rocket still couldn't bring himself to do something that lewd to his girlfriend. Fourth, Mantis doesn't know a single THING about what sex is or what it does. Hell, he's not even sure Ego told her how she was even born! Fifth and finally, Rocket had a BONER right in front of her and she's not even fazed a bit! He's not even sure if Mantis knew what the boner means. Rocket didn't even know how it would work. Rocket knew his cock wasn't human shaped or sized at all. Would Rocket really have to explain all of this to Mantis right here, right now?

"M-Mantis...ta'... I--W-Well--There--Um..." Rocket stammered incomprehensible speech patterns. Mantis blinked before looking down at Rocket's bulge in his pants and then looked back at Rocket's face, still stammering with an unidentifiable face that seems to resemble guilt. Mantis looked back down at Rocket's bulge between his thighs and puts her right hand there. "This...?" she begins before being cut off by a "Hrk!" from Rocket. He breathed unevenly as his arousal grew larger and his mind got dirtier. He puts a paw to Mantis' hand on his erection and clawed it lightly.

"L-Listen... I'mma... It'sa... w-when... Grr..." he mumbled once more before clearing his thoughts and replacing them with the ones he's been waiting for for a long time. _Fuck it._

Mantis was about to speak once more before being cut off by Rocket groping her breasts, digging his claws deep beneath her sports bra. Mantis moaned and was interrupted by Rocket's lips colliding with hers. "Mmmmph?!~" Mantis moaned inside her own mouth as Rocket pushed her down on the bed forcefully. Once the raccoon ends their make-out session, Mantis immediately let out a moan and Rocket let out a husky exhale. "Auh~... Whoa..." Rocket says, looking down at Mantis' tender and soft breasts as he gives them a little squeeze, still enough to make her moan. "I hate ta do this to ya so early and without yer permission, bug... God damnit...I'm so pathetic... I--"

"No..." Rocket perked his ears and head up to Mantis' voice and looked at her when she was still panting. "We... can do this... It feels... amazing... haa~" she breathed, giving Rocket a genuine smile. "Mantis..." Rocket turned his gaze up at the stalking and bright antennas atop Mantis' head, before giving her a smirk of his own. "Well, if you insist.~" Rocket breathed and stuffed his face between the young woman's breasts. Mantis let out a moan, her brain swimming with emotions and new desires. Rocket started dry-humping against the girl, giving her all sorts of pleasurable vibes and feelings. Mantis never really cared to think about these things too deeply, considering the fact that she absolutely nothing about what 'sex' is, but she knew what 'love' was. Mantis' only assumption is that there must be a lot of trusts that goes into sex.  _Is that why Rocket was too scared to--_ "AAUUN!!~" Rocket cut off the bug-girl's train of thoughts by licking the inside of her bra, tugging it down enough to slowly revealing her huge, beautiful, and soft tits. The procyon gasped and stuck his tongue out just by looking at it. Could Rocket really bring himself to do this...?

"Mantis..." he breathed, still a bit heated looking at and touching his girlfriend's naked tits for the first time. "God, you're so beautiful... Ah~..." he said, positioning his body to be as low as Mantis' thighs. Rocket slid open a gap in his pajama pants to reveal his 3 and-a-half in member, throbbing and hard. _It felt like it was gonna suffocate in 'ere!_ Rocket moaned internally., feeling blessed his member is free. He pushes his paw down on her hips wrist and grinded his legs against her right leg. How did this happen? Rocket squeezed her left thigh with his right paw, pressing harder and slowly running his paw along the top of her thigh. Rocket pressed face between her thighs, feeling as they squeezed him into a lock that Rocket never wanted to escape from.  _Oh my god,_  Rocket moaned internally, _she's_ ** _so soft_** _!!!_ Rocket took off the bug-girl's short-shorts and revealed her lips between them, they were visibly gleaming wet.

"Oh, shit~..." Rocket gasped, obviously his first time seeing a clit. He felt Mantis put a hand atop his head and rub him between the ears gently. "Ho..." she breathed, "If... If you would be gentle... I would not mind... ahn~..." Rocket didn't even dare to look at her face, just nodding before going in deep into the gap between her legs. When his long, warm, agile tongue slid inside her, she screamed aloud, and he felt way prouder than when he saved the galaxy twice from two maniacs. Mantis squeezed the procyon between her thighs, causing the raccoon to stick his tongue in deeper; causing her to keep moaning and they got louder and her antennas had only gotten brighter, blinding anyone who would look at them directly. Rocket didn't expect her to cum faster than the speed of light, let alone make her come in the first place. Regardless, he felt her hot cum spew on his snout and muzzle; accidentally licked some from there. He wriggled his head outside his girlfriend's squeezed thighs; gasping aloud when he got his head out. "Hah... hah...." he panted, still licking up the remaining ejaculation left on his muzzle, "Ya' know..." he said on a gasp,  "I'd be lyin'... if I said I... didn't have any feelings for 'ya, Baby-Boo~..." he exhaled loudly. Mantis only looked at back at Rocket with tears in her eyes, whimpering in agreement when Rocket's message went through her brain.

Once Rocket was done cleaning his muzzle from the bug's juice, he climbs on top of Mantis's torso and pressed his greedy little paws on her chest before squeezing them lightly. Mantis gasped aloud and raised her hand and pressed it against her boyfriend's cheek, having to hold on to something if there was going to be a 'round two'. The raccoon takes the naked breast gives them a quick tweak on the nipple, "Does that feel good?~" he asked in a raspy voice looking up at Mantis. The bug-girl nodded and he gave her a sly, toothy grin. "Well, then... If y're still hungry for more-a~" the procyon said and took his paws that were still on her breasts, and inserted the pair in his mouth, sucking them both inside his mouth breathing through his nose more heavily as he goes. " **AHN...~!** " Mantis moaned, voicing that she was clearly very happy about everything happening. She was gasping for breath, her antennas and face glowing brightly enough to make Rocket hot himself, moaning and groaning in pleasure.

When Rocket finally felt the milk exit the bug-girl's breasts, he began to gulp it down, taking pleasure as he gave them a squeeze to make sure it flows out nicely. " **Ah...!~ Ooh!~ Mmmn~!"** Mantis moaned uncontrollably as Rocket kept the breast milk flowing. Her grasp on Rocket's head began to grow tighter, the tugging sensation on her breast felt new to her. It wasn’t painful, just different. When Rocket had filled his entire mouth with the milk, he swallowed a mouthful, her girlfriend’s milk was thick and creamy, with a bit of sweetness to them. Rocket pulled his mouth off Mantis' nipples, licking up the access milk dripping and oozing from the nipples. Mantis gave out one more whimper when Rocket gave a small kiss on the nipple, before squeezing it again, his claws digging into the soft tissue. He ran his tongue over the teet, cleaning it of the white substance.

 _He is so rough... ah... his claws are sharp and..._ **"Ahn~!"** Mantis moaned aloud as Rocket humped himself against her continuously, groaning in arousal. Mantis opened her eyes in time to see Rocket's tail swishing back and forth, presumably in overjoy and probably lust. Rocket brought his mouth on Mantis' breast again, squeezing the expanded and soft skin that made a lump around her teat. He latched on, more firmly this time as he began to gently suckle, as the milk came out Mantis' breast tingled.  _He is very tenacious!_ Mantis was panting like a dog in the heat of the sun, whining at the pleasurable experience Rocket was bringing to her breasts.

Rocket pulled himself off the teat once more and gasped loudly before looking at Mantis with husky eyes. "Who's..." Rocket gulped down the remains of the creamy breast milk inside his mouth, "...hah... who's the puppy, now, eh?!" Rocket said with a heaving breath and flopped backward off of the bug-girl. "Augh!..." he groaned, falling on his back on the bed and move his legs over the edge of the bed, staring up at the ceiling, clearly exhausted from the ride and experience he was just on. "Phew... Damn, Bug..." Rocket panted out of breath. Mantis recovered enough to look back at Rocket with half-lidded eyes and drool sliding down her chin. "I would'a... think you would... taste better... On the outside...!" he chuckled at his own lame-ass joke. "Aah..."

Mantis looked down at Rocket's throbbing and still-erect dick and decided that she should return Rocket the favor of giving her the best ride of her entire life. She very slowly climbed off the bed and walked over to Rocket's side of the bed as the raccoon's eyes followed her in confusion. He had the strength to sit up and watch Mantis, still naked, walk in front of him. "W-What'ar ya'...?" Rocket said before Mantis knelt down in front of his legs.  _I want to please you..._ Mantis said to Rocket internally,  _I will be here for you, forever._  Mantis pressed her chest against Rocket's torso and slides down to his penis. His manhood was hard and standing tall and proud. She sandwiched his cock and started to move her breasts up and down. " **W-WHOOAH!!~** " Rocket howled in pleasure when he felt the soft texture of her bosoms squishing his penis. He was moaning and panting softly and occasionally wagging his tongue outside his mouth as she moves her breasts while squeezing his dick. The procyon could feel his cum about to eject out of his dick, so he grunted before Mantis giggled, causing him to look up at her with lazy eyes.

"Well, does it feel good? Do my breasts feel really good to you?" Mantis asked, tired, but enthusiastically for Rocket. "It feels good..." Rocket moaned, clearly never experiencing this before, but still trying to look good in front of Mantis. "It feels so krutackin' good!" The bug-woman lets out a giggle at angst but wavering demeanor. "I must admit, your penis feels good when I rub my breasts on it," Mantis said, slowly moving to the right as Rocket winced at the sudden move. "It feels hard and it feels as though something is pumping through it," she said with a small chortle. She moved faster and pressed his dick harder. Rocket lets out a shout of pleasure and gripped the sheets with his claws digging so hard into the mattress, they feel stuck. Her soft supple breasts were pleasing his penis with such a golden experience. She can feel his penis throbbing and his pre-cum was oozing out. She took that as a sign and moved even faster than before. She squished her breasts together as she moves, this brings out the sounds of pleasure from the cyborg raccoon.

His penis was throbbing, and pulsating, and pounding. The sound of pleasure escapes from his lips when he reached his climax. Rocket howled one last time before coming between her breasts and she stopped moving when she felt his cream splattered in between her bosoms. She pulls her breasts up from his dick and sees his seeds dripping out from between her breasts. "So much came out~..." Mantis said with earnest. Rocket's penis was covered in his own cum, sticking to the fur around his waist. She scooped some up from her breasts with her fingers, and tasted it. She licks her lips in satisfaction.

"'M sorry, Bug..."

Mantis' antennas perked up at Rocket's mournful and exhausted-breathed voice. She turned her head up towards Rocket's lying body and showed an expression of confusion. "W-What?" she said, hesitant on his answer. Rocket smacked his forehead with his paw and sighed in relief. "I'm sorry I cause ya so much trouble... Didn't mean for my stupid feelings ta' get in da wa--" Rocket's voice was cut off from Mantis leaning forward and embracing him and a hug before laying on her back on the bed with Rocket atop her body with her arms wrapped around him. "Do not apologize for something as blissful as that, Rocket," she says with a soft smile, "You were wonderful." Rocket felt his heart skipped a beat. "R-Really?" Mantis nodded, "Mm-hm." she began petting him on top his head and scratching him behind the ears, causing Rocket to lean deeper in her breasts as he catches his breath. 

"So..." Rocket breathed, chuckling at the last bit. Mantis leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"So...?" Mantis asked.

"When are we getting married?" Rocket joked, but Mantis took it seriously.

 

_Every time I close my eyes,_

_I wake up feeling so horny._

_I can't get you outta my mind,_

_Sexin' you be all I see._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story! Thanks for your love and support!

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my gosh, this going to be so bad...


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